Strategies for Peace: Embracing Surrender in Gethsemane
“Jesus gives all to those who surrender all” (St. Bernadette Soubirous).
Editor’s note: Read more about our Lent 2024 theme, “‘Not My Will, but Yours’: Surrendering to the Father During Lent,” here.
Every Lent, I am moved by the scene of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane where, amid the tranquility of this beautiful place, He experiences agony. This moment, when Jesus confronts His fears, questions His readiness, and ultimately submits to His Father’s will, is a testament to vulnerability and the power of surrender.
The agony in the garden illustrates many lessons for managing our own professional and personal struggles. While we may not face the same depth of agony Jesus experienced, our challenges sometimes require a similar spirit of surrender. Balancing the demands of professional ambition with personal and family responsibilities, we encounter moments that test our willingness to let go and trust in a plan beyond our understanding: God’s plan.
In business, where the drive to succeed often leads us to strive, push through obstacles, and seek control, practicing surrender is essential for our mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being. It’s important to remember that surrender is not concession but, instead, a path to peace.
Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane—“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42)—reminds us of the value of letting go and trusting God’s divine will, even when faced with challenges. Jesus acknowledges His desire for relief and His hope for a different outcome, yet He chooses to trust His Father. This act is not a passive concession but an intentional choice to embrace trust over fear.
Inspired by the spirit of surrender, below are simple strategies designed to encourage you to act in a spirit of surrender in your daily life as a woman in business.
Strategies for Peace Through Surrender at Work
Visual Prayer Reminders
As Catholics, we understand the impact of beauty. It captivates, inspires, and moves us closer to God, Who is beauty itself. Decorating your physical and digital spaces with visual cues rooted in beauty can encourage you to remember to surrender to God’s will.
I’ve adopted the practice of changing my phone’s wallpaper each month to imagery that inspires me and aligns with my prayers and intentions for the month. This small habit has helped me cultivate peace throughout my day, reminding me to offer everything to God.
Visual prayer reminders could involve:
Updating your desktop wallpaper with a simple message like, “Not my will but Yours be done.”
Incorporating art that inspires surrender into your office decor.
Setting reminders on your phone with brief prayer prompts or Scripture verses.
Faith Anchors
Integrate physical reminders of our Catholic faith into your workspace, whether you work in a corporate office or in your home. I keep a small statue of St. Joseph the Worker in my office. His presence throughout my day, during my work and my interactions, feels like a comforting accompaniment and serves as a faith anchor that reminds me to surrender the moments of my day to God.
Integrating faith anchors could involve:
Hanging a crucifix on your wall.
Framing a quote from your favorite saint.
Incorporating a Scripture verse into your email signature.
Exercise Detachment
Practice detachment in the broader scope of your life, even in moments of uncertainty. Detaching from everyday happenings strengthens your surrender “muscles” and rewards you with peace. For example, I’m learning to let go of the urge to manage everything at work. Trusting my team and allowing them to take the lead enables them to use their gifts.
Exercising detachment could involve:
Refraining from checking your email constantly.
Detaching your emotions from business outcomes.
Taking a break from social media to break the cycle of constant comparison.
A Prayer for You
When we reflect on Jesus’ agony in the garden, we are reminded that even in moments of fear and uncertainty, surrendering to God’s will leads us to peace. Although surrendering does not make the challenges in our lives disappear, it presents us with an opportunity to handle them gracefully and acknowledge that our strength comes not from ourselves but from Him.
Sister, my prayer for you this Lent is that you find courage in Jesus’ example, trusting that in your gardens of struggle, you, too, can pray, “Not my will but Yours be done,” finding peace knowing that He will not abandon you and only desires good for you.
Natasha Lovely is the Founder of Aspen & Oliva, a premier personal branding agency and Founder of Catholic Daughter, a ministry that equips women to conquer the 4th commandment. Driven by an entrepreneurial and creative spirit, she purposefully integrates her expertise as a clinical therapist and storytelling marketer to guide women to architect, refine, and master an iconic personal brand that effortlessly transcends into all areas of their lives - professional and personal. Her work with individuals and Fortune 50 companies to develop talent has led to her positioning as an authority on personal branding, an expert in leadership development, and a champion of the multi-hyphenate woman. Through her passion for business, Natasha has propelled her mission to inspire women to design a life of beauty, champion all things good and true, and guide them to become thought-leaders in their fields. You can connect with Natasha through Instagram, LinkedIn, or natashalucia.com.