Let Go and Let God
Letting go of treasured times, treasured people, treasured routines and treasured traditions isn’t easy, but it’s what I’ve come to know. The treasures of it all — the good times and not so good times — are a part of the fabric of our lives. Grin and bear it or bask in the knowing that all those times, people, routines and traditions are what made us. It’s obviously the life God designed for us. Wise King Solomon put it this way “To everything there is a season; and a time for every purpose under heaven.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1)
Let’s go back to some “letting go’s” in the Bible. King Saul’s son, Jonathan, and David were best friends, but life happened and they had to go their separate ways. Moses’ mom had to put him in a basket and let him go to save his life. Jesus had to let go of His place in heaven to come to earth to rescue you and me. Mary had to let go of her boy so that He could fulfill His calling.
Just think about 2020 and how we had to let go of certain routines, schedules, plans, freedoms, dreams and hopes. It wasn’t easy for anyone who was a planner, a doer and wanted to hold on as long as they could. Status quo was disrupted or, in my case, interrupted to give me a new perspective and change. It caused me to sell my home and many belongings to move to Austin. I had to be willing to let go so that I could move on to greener pastures!
I’ve been letting go for a very long time. I can’t believe how fast time went – watching my own children grow from infants to raising their own children. It’s a good thing! It is supposed to be that way. I had to let go of them so they could move on. I’ve had to let go of friends as we moved in and out of each other’s’ lives while navigating changing seasons of my own. One day, I held my husband’s hand for the last time and let go as he and I touched eternity together when he quietly went home.
It’s not easy letting go, but God gives us the fortitude and strength to conquer the “letting-goes”. My letting-goes were staged by God in a slow, methodical way. I applaud those of you who had to let go during those crazy, unplanned times and your ability to “bend and not break”. And, I applaud us as we navigate through this season.
We’ve made it through many seasons and we’ve come out of them braver and stronger. None of us knows what the future holds, but when we raise our hands high in the letting go, we’ll find ourselves looking upward to Jesus. He’s the One who is able to lead us through the heartaches and triumphs of the living, the loving, and the letting go.
Letting go is a daily, moment-by-moment choice. Giving it all to God is the way to come out on the other side as conquerors. I love this scripture: “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37) When we relinquish control, worry, doubt, fear and doing-it-my-way and give it all to God daily, we can be free to be a human-being instead of a human-doing. God is in control. We just need to recognize His authority and let Him lead. We can trust Him with all that concerns us each day. Letting go is scary at first, but the freedom in our mind and hearts will be worth it.
Isaiah 55:8-9 — “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”