SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS – The Daily Recharge

Friends, this blog post is the start of the rest of the conversation I initiated here. Make sure you check that out first, or you run the risk of entering a conversation already in progress, lol!

2025 is unequivocally the year to get to your spot. That is, if you’re surrendered.

Getting to God’s preferred place for you requires abandoning your ways and pursuing His, exclusively and consistently. But, how do you know if you’re doing life your way and not His? What signs or symptoms reveal that you need to surrender?

That’s a great question, and thankfully, the Bible contains the answer. If I haven’t shared this with you, the Bible is my favorite book, and I believe it contains the solutions for all our uncertainties.

Notice the passage included below, which is an excerpt from a very popular historical account in the Bible.

One day the Lord spoke to Jonah son of Amittai. He said, “Go to Nineveh, that great city, and speak out against it; I am aware of how wicked its people are.” Jonah, however, set out in the opposite direction in order to get away from the Lord. He went to Joppa, where he found a ship about to go to Spain. He paid his fare and went aboard with the crew to sail to Spain, where he would be away from the Lord.

But the Lord sent a strong wind on the sea, and the storm was so violent that the ship was in danger of breaking up. The sailors were terrified and cried out for help, each one to his own god. Then, in order to lessen the danger, they threw the cargo overboard. Meanwhile, Jonah had gone below and was lying in the ship’s hold, sound asleep.

According to these verses, Jonah chose to ignore an invitation to partnership. Instead, he followed his own path. This choice had two consequences that also signify the need to surrender:

Sudden Storms: As Jonah traveled away from God, a sudden, violent storm with strong winds surfaced and terrified experienced sailors until they cried out to their gods for help. Sudden difficulties, just like this storm, may not be random occurrences. They could be God’s way of revealing that you need to surrender.

Severe Selfishness: As the sailors cried out to their gods for help, Jonah was asleep in the ship’s hold. He was so unbothered by the storm, and seemingly unconcerned about the welfare of others, that they had to wake him up. Self-centeredness like this may not result from burnout. Just like the sudden storms, it could be a sign and symptom that surrender is in order.

Now, here’s the tough part. Are you like Jonah? Are you experiencing sudden storms? Do your actions, at times or consistently, portray severe selfishness? It may be time to surrender and shift into living like God desires.

If you haven’t caught on by now, I’m telling you that the first step of surrendering is recognizing the signs and symptoms. For Jonah, sudden storms and severe selfishness indicated that he needed to surrender. The same may be true for you.

In my upcoming post, I’ll talk about the next step of surrendering. In the meantime, if you need help understanding the signs and symptoms in your life, reach out to me at info@induranceministries.com. I welcome the opportunity to discuss whether your current experiences suggest that you need to surrender.