A friend (more like a mentor) of mine, Steve Youngblood, of http://www.churchfoundations.com, has just started a blog.  He recently posted on something that has struck a chord with me ever since I heard him talk about it in a "Timothy Project" he did, here is a snippet from the post http://youngbloodaudio.com/blog/commitment-or-surrender:

"This reminds me of the difference between commitment and surrender. I have heard many Christians talk about making a commitment to Christ, and living a committed Christian life. In fact these are terms that I have used myself. I don’t think that these words are wrong… but I do feel that they fall short of describing what He is really looking for. In fact if we live only in an "I’m Committed Zone…" we are in danger in living in legalism rather than grace.

When we make commitments… we do so by the power that we possess. Our decision or will is the basis of the commitment that we make. If we make the commitment, then we are in a sense still in charge, and therefore able to withdraw our commitment.

Jesus is looking more for surrender than commitment. When Japan surrendered after WWII they came aboard the USS Missouri and essentially signed a blank page… this was an unconditional surrender… there was no negotiations of terms.  Japan as a nation, would never again be the same.

Total surrender to God involves allowing Him the same kind of absolute control… Jesus demonstrated this kind of surrender when He cried out from the cross… "Into your hands I commit (surrender) my spirit…" this was a complete loss of personal control… He simply leaned back into the faithful arms of the Father. It is interesting to note that He did this even after crying out in those same moments…"My God, My God, why has thou forsaken me?"  His trust of the Father was enough."