I came from a family wherein surviving the day could be deemed a miracle. Being the eldest of my six siblings, I worked to help to help meet the needs of our family, in addition to studying and leading a student publication. I know how hard it is to have nothing.

Though I strived hard, too many questions still bombarded my mind, making me worry about what the future held for us. “What will happen to me and to my family? How am I going to provide for them? Will I ever finish my studies? I want to help other people, but how?” People kept saying that God will provide, yet I grew weary. I got tired of just surviving every day.

But God never leaves you face down. I realized that if you do not know the reason why you are holding on, you will eventually give up. Hands up, I surrendered everything to Christ.

Then, He spoke to me, “My daughter, why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (Mark 4:40). This verse became my comfort in the midst of the storm. So I talked to Him, saying, “Dear God, I do not know what life has to offer or how hard everything will be. But I want to be honorable after You; I want to bless my family and other people too. I know WE can do this, so Father.. let’s go!”

So this is how my God changed me: I learned how to sacrifice. God taught me how to wipe my tears and face my fears. The thought of honoring God and my family by blessing them became the fuel that kept me going. More than anything this world could offer, God gave me hope. I continued what He commanded me, and after 16 years of studying, I finally graduated and received awards. I learned to stop worrying.

Worrying is like riding a Ferris wheel. It gives you something to do but it gets you nowhere. Instead of being a stagnant Christian, we must learn how to stop worrying, keep moving and trust God in every ups and downs of our lives. That is the essence of an absolute surrender to Him.

If you look at yourself as a channel of blessing, you will never tire. You will never run out of reasons to survive and to inspire other people. Don not be afraid, it is the Father who gives you the grace to believe in yourself. Nothing can save you than your own personal relationship with Christ. His promises make me feel so loved, so secured. Every time you think of giving up, just remember God’s heroic courage two thousand years ago. Hold on to God. He will never let go of your hand.

Discussion Questions: What happened to your life when you surrendered to God? What are the things that you have not yet submitted to Him?

See more devotions from Jeaneth and our other Young Adult writers, or find our how you can become a writer yourself, at our By Young Adults for Young Adults devotion page.