When XXX Church Pastor Craig Gross wants to preach about true surrender to God, he uses a joke that old preachers like to use in order to get their message across.
He says the story goes something like this: "Torrential rains cause a river to rise and a dam to break, flooding a valley. There is a small cabin in that valley, so the lone occupant heads for the roof and prays that God would miraculously rescue him.
"Moments later, as the waters have reached halfway up the house, a boat full of people comes by. 'Hey,' they call out, 'we have room for you! Come aboard!'"
"But the man declined their offer, saying that he has already prayed and he knows God will rescue him. The floodwaters continued to rise but the man remained on the roof. A helicopter flew by and the pilot lowered a rope ladder, but once again, the man declined rescue, giving out the same answer that God is going to rescue him.
"So off flies the helicopter as the waters rise higher and higher. They engulf the man, who passes away and is immediately met at the Gates of Heaven by God. "God!" the man says. 'I prayed and prayed! Why didn't you rescue me?' God looks him in the eye and says, 'I sent you a boat and a helicopter. What more do you want?'"
Writing on the ministry's website, Gross says a lot of people keep talking about "surrendering to God" and how "God is teaching them in a difficult time." However, people do not really know what "surrendering to God" truly is aside from being a super Christian.
"Why, as Christians, do we think that God wants us to struggle like this? Because I hear things like this so many times. But rather than think that God could provide us with a way out, we just chalk our struggles up to 'teaching' and needing to 'surrender,'" he explains.
"Maybe God puts people in your life who actually have the opportunity to point you toward something great, who can teach you something. But for some reason, so many people think it sounds more spiritual to say 'I'm going to suffer for Jesus' or 'I'm going to surrender to God'?" Gross writes.
Gross points out that he does not believe God has promised people a life free of suffering. But he does not see the point of Christians being content in the struggle, thinking that it is God's will for them to live out their lives in hardships.
"I understand that God can teach me something in the midst of my struggle, but I also know he can provide a way out. It just might not be the obvious way or the easy way or the way that requires no work from me," he says. "Why don't we connect the dots on that? Maybe God's already tried to send you rescue. What more do you want?"
