I so often encourage and remind myself and others that our greatest ac
tion is to surrender ourselves fully to God. It is not simply giving up, “I surrender!”, It is an intentional activity that must be exercised to overcome the undertow of this fallen world as well as our old unholy habits. This world we live in is covered in spiritual quicksand. To escape we must surrender or we will naturally sink.
I’ve recently added to this encouragement to surrender the word ‘responsively’. A giving up of all things to God will also involve responding to that which we sense Him saying within our surrender. Surrender includes both a decision to trust in them executing the instruction – but also to listen to and do what they say. Just as when we might surrender to a rescue effort to escape a danger, such as quicksand. “Grab the rope!” “Be still!” “Grasp the ladder!” – a surrender that does not include responding to our Lord or rescue squad is 
simply ‘lazy’ independence or an unhealthy carefree attitude. On the other side of complete responsive surrender is life.