And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.” And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus.
Mark 10:49-50 (ESV)
Recently, I felt God calling me into a deeper relationship with him. Life was full of good things—I was homeschooling one of my daughters, we had opened our home to another daughter through legal guardianship, I enjoyed my career, and our marriage was thriving. But something was missing.
I prayed, attended church, and read my Bible, but the busyness of life had distracted me from cultivating an intimate relationship with God. I had been making space for everyone but him. But, when my biological daughter was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, I longed for my faith to carry me through the hard days.
While reading about Bartimaeus in Mark 10:46-52 I was reminded that I needed to seek him and surrender what I held close. Bartimaeus was a blind man who sat on the roadside begging. When he heard that Jesus was near, he shouted persistently, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Mark 10:47 NIV).
When Jesus called for him, Bartimaeus threw his cloak aside and went to Jesus, who asked him, “What do you want me to do for you” (Mark 10:51 ESV)?
I understood the weight of Jesus’ question as I imagined standing in front of my Lord and Savior without an answer. I didn’t know I needed to be healed. I thought life was going well. But just as Bartimaeus shed the protection and comfort of his cloak, I realized I had my own cloak.
Mine looked like self-reliance, fear, and abandonment that kept me from fully trusting God. So, he asked me to surrender what I held dear—my daughter.
I thought I was the only one who could save her from a dark place. But Jesus reminded me that he is her Savior—not me. If I trust him with my life, why didn’t I trust him with my daughter’s life too? That was the moment I let go of my own “cloak” and the need to shield her from the consequences of her actions. I placed her in Jesus’s arms and stepped back. I now have hope in a way I never had before—hope in the everlasting goodness and faithfulness of God. He took my fear and my pain, and he used it to bring me closer to him.
Now, my life is much quieter. I’ve made margin for an intimate relationship with God. I no longer rush to fill my life with the things he wants me to surrender. My daughter is walking out her own consequences, but she understands that God loves her and will never abandon her.
So, did I sacrifice? Of course. Were there some areas that were harder to give up than others? Absolutely! But the result is better than I ever imagined—a renewal of my mind, a stronger relationship with Jesus, and a healing of my own that only he knew I needed.
Prayer: Father, thank you for being a God who loves me more than I could ever imagine. Your ways are better than my ways. Help me to submit to your will and offer a daily surrender of my whole life—my fear, my pain, and the things I hold closest to my heart. Thank you that I can trust you to comfort and protect me all the days of my life. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Reflect: What would you give up if it meant you would have a deeper connection with God?