We’ve all been there: Lights, fog, epic song, and an electric moment as we all worship Jesus. I can remember so many moments I’ve had like this where it seemed so EASY to follow God as we all stood there singing our guts out! But then what? What happens when all that fades away and we are left with REAL life? What do we do when comparison is crippling us?! Or when we live in a constant state of feeling like we are not enough and have no idea how to get out of these mindsets? Or what do we do when we have anxiety but feel like we can’t run to anyone because “Christians” shouldn’t struggle with this? These are all questions I have asked myself in my journey following Jesus.

 We all know Jesus is more than a church service, Bible study, or a song that gives us goosebumps. So then how do we invite Him into our everyday lives and live in the transformation that was given to us at The Cross? I want to take you through some of my journey of God revealing His love to me in a way that caused me to finally understand the JOY and WONDER of surrender!

 Matthew 10:30 says, “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” See, I always thought following Jesus meant a list of do’s and don’ts. For so long, I had no idea that Jesus wanted to have a relationship with me that was ALIVE and ACTIVE. It wasn’t until I understood the joy of surrender that my life changed. I struggled with depression, anxiety and tons of comparison starting at 13 years old. This kept me from truly knowing who God made me to be. I had blinders on my eyes of what it could look like to be free and know Jesus. The picture I had of God was that he was sitting in heaven keeping tabs of our actions. I will never forget the day I was at a school in YWAM and everything changed in one moment. As we were worshipping I suddenly felt my heart begin to burn. I had no idea what was going on and then all of the sudden I was consumed with peace. I felt depression and anxiety leave my body and I suddenly knew deep down how loved I was. I remember thinking, “Is this really you God?! I had NO idea you were THIS good!”

 From this place, I understood what Matthew 10:30 meant. When I had understanding and revelation of His love, all I wanted to do was surrender my life and let Him lead me! It was the most joyful surrender I had EVER experienced! This set the course of my whole walk with Jesus. I have been a Christian for 10 years now and trust me when I say that there will ALWAYS be bumps along the road and things to overcome! However, when you walk in the foundation of God’s love for you and fully trust Him by surrendering your own will and ways, you will find a joy that is eternal!

 So where in your life do you feel stuck? Where do you feel like you go in circles? Let Jesus meet you there! He is not afraid of our weaknesses, He actually LOVES to meet us there. He is not mad at us, He is proud! His love is what changes us from the inside out. It may seem too good to be true, but this is what it’s called GOOD NEWS.

 So, what are some practical steps you can take to live out whole-hearted surrender and see Jesus move through your life? First, it starts one on one, with just you and God! I call it “THE BIG THREE”— this is Worship, The Word, and Prayer. Always start with introducing these three things into your life, making it a discipline until it turns into a joyful habit, because it will! Second, find your people. We were never called to do this alone. Jesus demonstrated this when He walked on the earth closely with 12 disciples. He was not alone. They worshipped together, ate together, processed together, preached the gospel together and so much more! The key word here is TOGETHER. Third, know who God is and who He says you are! This will change everything! Do you want to see comparison end in your life? Have you ever struggled with jealousy? Identity? Know the truth, and it will SET YOU FREE. I am not saying this because it’s a Bible verse or a great line, but because I have experienced this first hand in my own life! When I forget who God is and who He says I am, I get consumed with doubt, second guessing and so much more. Knowing God is truly one of the GREATEST gifts, we were made for it! It’s why Paul says in Philippians 3:8-10, “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death…”.

 So, to my generation and the generations rising up now, LET’S DO THIS! The earth is longing for who God REALLY is. Let’s live in whole-hearted surrender and shine with the confidence given to us through the blood of Jesus! I truly believe we are living in some of the greatest days in history! God wants to use YOU! He wants to move through YOU! When the lights are gone and the crowd fades, God still sees a generation burning with love for Jesus! This is you and me!

Lindy Conant-Cofer is a worship leader and singer/songwriter based in Southern California. She is a part of the Circuit Rider movement that was launched out of YWAM Kona. Lindy has a passion to see this generation activated in love of God. With a zeal to see the gospel go forward, she began to write songs that she felt captured this part of the Lord’s heart.

Follow Lindy on Instagram @lindy_conant