YOU’VE BEEN SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS….
Many Christians doubt the legitimacy of their salvation because they still struggle with the same hurts and destructive behaviors that they suffered from before they were saved. They wrestle with their belief in the power of Jesus Christ because the pain of past trauma, depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and addiction to alcohol, drugs, sex, or pornography is still very present in their everyday lives.
Here’s what I hear from the Christians who come to me for help:
“I go to church every Sunday and attend weekday services. I’m a member of a small group that meets almost every week. I read my Bible and pray every day. I’m active in church ministries. I was baptized. I even got up the courage to share my struggles with a pastor in my church. I’m doing everything the pastor told me to do. I’ve read the books. I’ve confessed the sin. I’m trying to live my life right.
I don’t want to keep on feeling like a failure or a disappointment to God. I don’t want to keep on doing the things that I’ve been doing! But I still feel trapped and powerless. I believed that God would heal me when I got saved. I believed that he would take this pain from me. I believed that my faith in him would give me the power to stop doing these things.
Why can’t I just get over it? What am I doing wrong? Why do I feel so alone? Why do I feel so afraid? Why do I feel so ashamed—so different from everyone around me? Doesn’t God love me? Doesn’t God care? Why isn’t God helping me? Is God even real?”
If you identify with any of these sentiments, you are not alone. Whatever you are thinking or feeling about your faith in Christ is normal and to be expected given your particular life experiences. You’ve been searching for answers to your questions and hoping to be healed. Here’s what I want you to know: God does care, and you will find the answers you seek by learning to access the power of Jesus Christ.
I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13 (NIV)
The Surrender Prayer Book
Praise for The Surrender Prayer
"Kristian Lynch’s The Surrender Prayer works to showcase the Bible as a vehicle for hope and healing.
The book’s premise is that established churches don’t always speak to the needs in the world, particularly for those struggling with challenges like addiction and depression.
Written with promise, the book addresses itself to people seeking recovery from such challenges. In particular, it is designed for those who think they no longer have the power to change their circumstances. It draws from both mental health and spiritual perspectives to discuss how challenges should be confronted. The book’s methods seek to bridge the gap between Christian spirituality and modern therapy."
-Foreword Clarion Reviews
Lynch argues that to overcome personal struggles, you must surrender them to God. A former attorney and current social worker, the author notes that many of us find ourselves wanting to control the world around us. Unwilling to capitulate to a higher power, we experience guilt, pain, and mental suffering. What to do? The author suggests we practice the “Surrender Prayer” and “enlist God to join our battle against our own personal demons.” In this well-written, inspirational workbook, Lynch provides insightful, practical ways for readers to do just that, describing a three-step process: building life awareness; developing a philosophy of acceptance; and embracing our struggles, knowing God is with us every step of the way.
The author provides questions that work as a form of guided meditation and reflective therapy, and
although the book is geared toward individuals, he includes a chapter on how to adapt the program for groups. A thoughtful, compassionate writer, Lynch delivers prose that’s simple but effective, and the insights and questions he provides inspire and delight. Spiritual seekers from all walks of life will find this valuable book earnest, useful, and encouraging.
-Booklist Starred Reviews
