“All who are obsessed with being secure in life will lose it all—including their lives. But those who let go of their lives and surrender them to me will discover true life.”

—Luke 17:33

Security. Isn’t that what we’re all chasing? A plan that won’t fall apart. A life that feels steady. Enough money in the bank. A family that is at peace. A guarantee that everything—home, work, growth, kids—will all turn out the way we hope. 

But Jesus flips the script: “All who are obsessed with being secure in life will lose it all—including their lives. But those who let go of their lives and surrender them to me will discover true life.”

Here is the thing I’ve discovered—when I’m obsessed with being secure, I’m really obsessed with making sure I am in control. And if I am obsessed with being in control, there’s no room left for faith.

Sure, earthly security feels good for a moment. But nothing here is guaranteed. One crisis can take it all away in an instant. And at the end of it all, none of it comes with me into eternity.

Let’s talk about the word obsessed in this verse: the real question isn’t if I’ll be obsessed with something—it’s what I’ll be obsessed with. 

• If my obsession is security in this world, I’m chasing the wrong thing. 
• But what if I became obsessed with eternity? With the salvation of my loved ones and the people God puts in my path?

That kind of obsession leads to life. Being obsessed with the world will always be the wrong choice.

The Surrender Jesus Calls For…

Jesus says: “Surrender them to ME.”

Who is this “me”? It’s Jesus—my Savior, the One who chose to suffer, die, and rise again for me. To be crucified and to pay MY price, the One who purchased me with His precious blood. 

But surrender raises questions, doesn’t it? (READ THESE AND QUESTION YOURSELF)

         •        Is He trustworthy?

         •        Will He give me what I want? 

         •        What if He asks me to do something I don’t want to do?

         •        Do I really believe His way is better than mine? (Be honest!)

         •        What am I afraid of losing if I let go?

         •        What if surrender means redefining what “success” looks like in my life? (THIS!!)

         •        Do I trust His goodness even when I don’t understand His plan?

         •        What if holding onto control costs me more than letting it go? (YIKES)

         •        Is what I’m protecting really worth more than what He’s offering?

These few questions really reveal who you are truly looking out for.  For me, it was… MYYSSELLLF. Eww. 

The cost is simple, but it cuts deep: you give up what you want. Your life. Your desires. Your self-interest. And not just ‘give it up’—you DIE TO IT. It is no longer an option you can fall back on or turn and reflect on when Jesus’ path proves to be difficult. 

Surrender means dying to self in exchange for what Jesus has to offer. And if I’m paying attention, I’ll realize the trade-off is wildly unbalanced. What He gives back makes my sacrifice look microscopic.

The world’s offerings are temporary—fading, fooling, a facade, and ultimately empty. It’s actually all a lie… one the enemy dangles in front of our faces in hopes we take the bait. But Jesus’ offering? Eternal. Unshakable. Priceless. Unmatched. Incomparable. I could go on and on here… 

The Crossroads We All Face

The hard part? Surrender doesn’t come with a blueprint.

When I surrender my life to Christ, I don’t get to see His plan all laid out with neat little lists of pros and cons. I don’t get to peek at both paths and then make my choice.

No—what I get is a decision:

         •        Trust Jesus and surrender my life.

         •        Or lean on my own understanding and trust myself.

And let’s be real: we all know how things end up when we choose our own way. I can insert countless stories from my life regarding my efforts to control the outcome in my own power.  And I can insert countless examples of finally surrendering and God intervening, proving to little ole’ me that He, in fact, does care and has the best plan. If only I would boot-scoot out of the way sooner. 

At the end of the day, I can cling to control—or I can surrender. It is a DAILY CHOICE. One ends in loss, the other in life. One fades, the other lasts forever.

We sing, “Jesus, take the whhheeeeellll,” and He answers back, “Then let goooo of the darn wheeeeeellll!” I can either keep gripping the wheel of my life—white-knuckled, anxious, and afraid—or I can actually release it into His hands (yes, that means you LET GO) and finally live free.

Temporary security or eternal life—only one is worth everything. And girls, that choice? It’s yours, and only yours, to make.