Recently in church my pastor talked about the story of the rich young ruler who came to Jesus, earnestly seeking to walk with God, and asking "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus' response is found in Mark 10:21,

"One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

The man turned away sad, because he loved his wealth, his success, the life he had built seemingly on his own, more than he loved God. He was self-sufficient, unwilling to surrender everything to follow Christ.

How often am I like this? The message is convicting because I have had tremendous success in my career, marriage, parenting and financial life. I do love my beautiful house. My kids are seem too good to be true a lot of days. (Not when living room floor is covered in socks and toys and the noise level is deafening, but it's true, I feel like I won the kid lottery.) It's easy for me to live daily as if I'm self-sufficient, thinking I love the Lord but relying on the life I've built.

My pastor called it "The Lack Factor", reminding us that we need to ask ourselves if we really believe that everything we have is His. Would we be willing to give up not only our money, our houses, but our husbands and kids as well? Would we be willing to go it alone for Christ? That is what living a truly surrendered life, the life Jesus calls us to, is all about.

My kids are probably the toughest for me to think about giving up. But if I understand scripture, they are His and I am only a steward of His blessings. To follow Jesus I need to pray and give them back to Him, to surrender everything.

The reward of a surrendered life is promised by Jesus in verses 29 and 30.

"I tell you the truth...no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this age...and in the age to come, eternal life."

Ask yourself, are you truly surrendered to God or living self-sufficiently?

My personal blog: Water Water Everywhere
Find me on Twitter: MainlineMom