What Does It Mean to Throw Away My Life?

“Give yourselves to God . . . and surrender your whole being to him to be used for righteous purposes.” Romans 6:13 (GNT)

Surrendering to Jesus means laying down every area of my life. God wants me to learn to be a giver in life, not a taker.

Jesus said, “If you insist on saving your life, you will lose it. Only those who throw away their lives for my sake and for the sake of the Good News will ever know what it means to really live” (Mark 8:35 TLB).

What does it mean to “throw away” my life? It means I submit myself to God for his purposes. Romans 6:13 says, “Give yourselves to God . . . and surrender your whole being to him to be used for righteous purposes” (GNT).

What happens when I do this? What happens when I say, “Okay, God, I’m not going to live for me. I’m going to live for you and for other people. I’m going to learn to lay down my life. I’m going to learn to lay down my plans”?

Here’s what the Bible promises: “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need” (Matthew 6:33 NLT).

How do I “seek the Kingdom of God above all else”? I care about the things God cares about. What does he care about most? People. God doesn’t care about money. God doesn’t care about fame. God doesn’t care about a lot of things I care about.

When I surrender my life to God and prioritize the things he prioritizes, he will take care of all my needs.

So live a life of purpose. Be driven by God’s priorities—his kingdom! I'll end up with the adventure of a lifetime!

In summary:

Surrendering to God means giving every part of my life over to Him and living for His purposes rather than my own. Jesus teaches that real life is found not in holding on tightly to my own plans, but in letting go—submitting myself to God’s will and becoming instruments for what is right. Romans 6:13 calls me to offer my whole self to be used for His purposes. When I shift focus from self-centered goals to God’s mission, I begin to understand true fulfillment.

Living for God means caring about what He cares about—people, not possessions or status. When I seek His kingdom first, as Matthew 6:33 promises, God will meet all my needs. This doesn’t mean a life of loss, but rather one of greater purpose and meaning. Prioritizing God's will leads to a richer, more adventurous life, aligned with eternal values and full of lasting impact.