I find that the process of surrender is similar to that of a planted seed. There are phases of the growth of a plant that must happen sequentially. When a seed is planted, the production of fruit does not occur before the germination of the seed; it happens after. In our walk with the Lord, we all start at ground zero. There is no starter pack salvation. A relationship with the Lord begins in the bare soil of the heart. We surrender ourselves and accept Him by faith. As we journey with Him, He plants seeds of His character into us. From there, it is our choice to cultivate and nurture what He has planted. The beauty of surrender is that it is both a foundational and continual key needed for our growth with Him. When we surrender to Him we become rooted in Him. When we stay connected to Him, we bloom.
John 15: 5 in the New King James, "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing."
It is in this raw soil where intimacy sprouts and flourishes. However, we also know that surrounding this "soil" with different conditions yields different outcomes. If we are consistent and faithful to water the soil every day we foster an environment for the growth of fruit- healthy fruit. However if we become distracted and forget to water this soil, it becomes thirsty, dehydrated and in search for relief. When a plant receives too little water, its growth slows, the soil draws away from the edges of the container it was first potted in, and any fruit that has been produced drops prematurely. How does this look in our lives when we disregard watering our relationship with Jesus? We draw away from Him and the truth he originally "potted" us in. We might even feel stagnation in our walk with Him. When we don't saturate ourselves in His presence daily, the fruit in our lives can becomes unaligned with His timing. Even though our love, our kindness, or even our self-control may be done in the right heart, if we are not aligned and rooted in Him, it's all in vain. Friends, we must remain consistent in nurturing what the Holy Spirit has placed inside of us. But let us not see this as a duty or a mere task, but as a delight. May we honor Him as we water what may become like Him.
Ephesians 2: 17-19 in the New King James says this, "That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height- to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God".