“If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” — John 8:36, NIV
I’ve sung the hymn “I Surrender All” more times than I can count. I love that old hymn. I can still hear the melody filling the sanctuary—voices singing quietly as people pray, some responding to the invitation to kneel at an altar, and all of us singing those familiar words: “I surrender all.”
But have you ever stopped to think about what we’re actually singing? I surrender ALL?!
That’s quite a statement in a world that places such a high value on personal freedom. Surrender sounds like defeat, giving up, waving the white flag, and letting someone else take control. And honestly, I’m not sure I like the sound of that.
Isn’t surrender the opposite of freedom?
We’re told freedom means doing what we want, when we want, and however we want. It’s my life, my choices, my truth, and no one gets to tell me otherwise. But is that really freedom?
Timothy Keller makes an interesting observation about freedom. He points out that being free doesn’t mean we can do everything we want. In fact, enjoying certain freedoms often requires us to give up others.
For example, I play guitar, and I know that if I spend every evening watching Netflix, I’m not going to get any better. If I want to improve, I have to give up the freedom of being a couch potato and practice—learning new chords, rhythms, and techniques. And eventually, I’ll be able to play music I couldn’t play before.
What seems restrictive in one area of life opens the door to greater freedom in another. We all know how it works. If we want to lose weight, we watch what we eat. If we want to get in shape, we exercise. We give up some things to gain others.
But when Jesus calls us to surrender, we struggle. He tells us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him (Luke 9:23). He speaks of a narrow road that leads to life (Matthew 7:13–14). And a cross and a narrow road don’t sound much like freedom.
Jesus isn’t a taskmaster demanding a more disciplined life. He’s inviting us to Himself. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6, NIV).
The narrow way isn’t a list of things we can and cannot do. The Narrow Way is a Person—Jesus. And freedom isn’t found in how well we manage our lives. It’s found in Him.
Jesus came to free us from sin and death. He gave Himself for us and now invites us to give ourselves to Him. Not to earn His love—He already loves us. He wants to give us LIFE.
I’ve been following Jesus a long time, and I’m still learning what surrender means. There are things I want to control, desires I struggle to release, and places where I’d rather have my own way. But I’m discovering that Jesus can be trusted with every part of my life. His invitation may challenge the life I want, but it leads me into the good life He created me to live.
He has been so faithful to me. So when I hear that old hymn again, and the call to surrender comes, by His grace, I answer:
Yes, Lord. I surrender all.
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