After seeing the movie Breakthrough, there were two critical points that really made an impact on me. The first is when Joyce Smith arrives at the hospital and is escorted into the ER room where her 14-year-old son lies lifeless. All life-saving measures have been stopped. John fell through the ice into Lake Sainte Louise, in Missouri. John was underwater for over 15 minutes and not responsive for over 45 minutes, while the paramedics and then doctors did all they could to try to bring life into John’s lifeless body. What did his mother, Joyce, do? She prayed! She cried out for God to breathe life into her son. The monitor went from a flat line to a beep. All the medical crew outside the curtain were in shock but immediately jumped into action to get John on all the life-supporting equipment he needed. But the journey didn’t end there. God answered his mother’s prayer—to breathe life into John—but there was still so much unknown in front of them.
The second thing that Joyce did came days later when there had been no improvement and things looked grim for John’s recovery. Joyce removed herself from John’s side and escaped to the rooftop of the hospital where she surrendered to God. She acknowledged her sins, asked for forgiveness, and surrendered all control over the future of John’s healing to God. That’s when everything changed!
I personally know this! This is my story! Many years ago, I was trying to control the outcome of my broken marriage. I was guilty of trying to fix it all on my own. Sure, I prayed, and I even surrendered, but when things got crazy again, I would jump back into the driver’s seat. I thought I knew what needed to be done to fix my marriage. Well, maybe it’s more correct to say, I thought I knew what my husband needed to do. Of course, now after being out of the crazy cycle, I can honestly say that I was causing more damage than good—something I didn’t see at the time. Things were a mess, and I was a mess! Something needed to change.
Then one day it happened: I found some emails that once again ripped my heart into a million tiny pieces and depleted me of all hope that my marriage could be saved. I cried, screamed, and wailed as I read the emails over and over. My fears consumed me: my marriage was over, and I would be alone. Then in a split second, I was on my knees, with the emails held high above my head, pleading with God to take this from me. I couldn’t do it anymore. And he did: within a few seconds, I felt everything being lifted from me and His peace surrounding me. Feeling the warmth and comfort of someone holding me and telling me I would be OK, I was able to rest in the peace of God. Those moments changed everything.
Did I still hurt? Yes! Was there still uncertainty? Yes! Sure thing. All the same feelings where there: the pain, hurt, anger, disbelief, hopelessness, uncertainty… you name it, it was there. The difference was that now I was not the one in the driver’s seat; I had surrendered to God, and He was the one driving. I learned to trust God and to call out to Him when I need help or even to just release. He was there for me; He loved me through my brokenness, the pain and the anger. He didn’t judge me; He was just there. True surrendering, when you finally give it all up, laying it all down at the feet of Jesus and not picking it back up, changes everything.
Is it easy? No! But God knows that. That is why we have His word to help us through.
Trust the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make you straight your paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6
“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth!”
Psalms 46:10
Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; His understanding is unsearchable.
Isaiah 40:28
And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.
Psalm 9:10
I highly suggest you see the movie Breakthrough and you focus on the two things that Joyce did and how God reacted. She prayed and He answered. She surrendered and it changed everything!