What does it mean to follow God?

What does God desire from us when it comes to following Him?

Are we willing to surrender to what God has for our lives even when it doesn't make sense to us? 

These are challenging questions and I say challenging because I'm living them! God has been showing me so much about what it takes to fully trust Him with our lives. I'm not the most adventurous person so risks are not fun for me. Trusting anyone is not my strong suit either which makes it even more of a challenge. But thank God for His grace in our lives! A story in the bible that has hit me hard in the past few weeks is the story of the calling of Jesus' disciples. They were fisherman, tax collectors, ect. each had their occupation and I'm sure each of them had their own agenda's for what they wanted to see of their lives and who they wanted to become. And then in the life of these brothers named Simon and Andrew (fishermen) comes this man named Jesus and tells them to

"Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."

Now if I were Simon or Andrew I'd be like "Who is this man and there is no way I'm going to follow Him!" But the bible doesn't say anything about them asking questions or anything like that. It says "AT ONCE they left their nets and followed Him." Now that's faith! That's Surrender! They left everything they had lived for, what they had trained for to follow Jesus. And God expects the same from each of us! He doesn't want us to give half of our lives to Him, He wants ALL of us! Every ounce of our being! Following Jesus won't always be easy, in fact, I think it seldom is easy but it's worth it! It takes denying of yourself...your wants, your desires, your goals for something greater...GODS wants and desires and goals for your life. In Luke 9:23 it says

"Then He (Jesus) said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me."

Surrender requires faith! And true faith in God requires a willingness to give ALL! Are you willing???  Clay Crosse sings a song that is called "I Surrender All" and I wanted to share the lyrics with you.

I Surrender All

Written by: David Moffit and Reggie Hamm

I have wrestled in the darkness of this lonely pilgrim land
Raising strong and mighty fortresses that I alone command
But these castles I've constructed by the strength of my own hand
Are just temporary kingdoms on foundations made of sand
In the middle of the battle I believe I've finally found
I'll never know the thrill of victory 'til I'm willing to lay down
All my weapons of defense and earthly strategies of war
So I'm laying down my arms and running helplessly to Yours

I surrender all my silent hopes and dreams
Though the price to follow costs me everything
I surrender all my human soul desires
If sacrifice requires
That all my kingdoms fall
I surrender all

If the source of my ambition is the treasure I obtain
If I measure my successes on a scale of earthly gain
If the focus of my vision is the status I attain
My accomplishments are worthless and my efforts are in vain
So I lay aside these trophies to pursue a higher crown
And should You choose somehow to use the life I willingly lay
down
I surrender all the triumph for it's only by Your grace
I relinquish all the glory, I surrender all the praise

I surrender all my silent hopes and dreams
Though the price to follow costs me everything
I surrender all my human soul desires
If sacrifice requires
That all my kingdoms fall
I surrender all

Everything I am, all I've done, and all I've known
Now belongs to You, the life I live is not my own
Just as Abraham laid Isaac on the sacrificial fire
If all I have is all that You desire
I surrender all