Article November 3, 2003 ISSUE

Surrender that doesn't mean giving up

A mental shift can open the door to healing.

By David Degler

I've had a prayer-based healing practice for more than 30 years, in which I pray for people and help them find spiritual solutions to their problems. Through my practice I've learned that surrendering to God is basic to one's spiritual growth and brings great blessings. In fact, such surrender is often a crucial step in finding healing.

But surrender to God, to me, does not mean acting on blind faith or giving up all obligation to think and act responsibly. I think of surrender as turning to God wholeheartedly and expectantly. It involves learning more about our relationship with God and gaining a certainty that His will is good. I know this process by experience, because there was a time when I was the patient — the one in search of healing and needing to surrender.