“The trees are about to let us know how lovely it is to let things go.”
“We stress ourselves out because we put ourselves where God is suppose to be.” –Pastor Louis Kingdom Revival Church
Two quotes that jumped out at me recently making me think of their great truth~Reminding me to let go and let God!
Do you need that reminder in your life today too?
For those of you that live in the parts of the USA that officially experience the four full blown seasons I think you can appreciate the first statement….
Isn’t there great truth when you really think about it?
As the cool, crisp weather returns for another fall season, the leaves on the trees turn from their green summer color to the vibrant yellow, orange, or red colors before they start letting go.
Isn’t that a beautiful sight? (When you don’t have to rake them up at least?!) Don’t you even take a drive sometimes to see the beauty all around God’s amazing creation even inhaling the smells of the season?
Have you ever thought about that same principle in relation to our lives?
Do you see the loveliness in letting go of things in our lives?
Let me ask you two, somewhat similar questions, encompassing both worldly and spiritual realms….
What are some things that you think YOU have control over that you might really need to let go of?
What are some different things in life that we need to let go of so we can experience loveliness?
–Control of our own lives
–Others responses to us
–Our children’s lives
–Toxic relationships
–The path we think our lives should go
–Fear that takes control over our faith
–Pride that gets in the way of being humble
–Sin that keeps us from God
–Our own will without praying for guidance
–Worry that cripples us from moving forward
–Anger that overtakes us
Have you ever noticed how life is really so much about “letting go?” Isn’t this more apparent, especially as we age?
If we have children, we see them get to the point where they are ready to fly the nest.
We don’t need so many physical things in our lives.
Music groups we once enjoyed may not stay together.
Participating in sports, for either yourself or family members, eventually ends.
Often school friends end up losing contact; even former employees you might have worked with at one point.
As relatives age we have to let them go onto their eternal reward.
Who is really in charge of your life? I hope you are able to answer with a resounding….GOD!
It is so freeing when we come to the point of knowing in our heart of hearts that God is in charge of our lives because...
…God has such great love for us
God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. –1 John 4:9 (NLT)
…God is our Father who wants only the best for us, His children
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. –1 John 3:1 (NIV)
…God works everything out for our good
We know that in all things God works for good with those who love him, those whom he has called according to his purpose. –Romans 8:28 (GNT)
…God provides the peace that surpasses all understanding
Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel. –Philippians 4:7 (CEV)
…God is always with us through the thick and thin
This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” –Joshua 1:9 (NLT)
So doesn’t that second statement I mentioned in the beginning of these thoughts then make so much more sense?
May I encourage you, this week, to think about the phrase
“Let go and Let God!”
Pray that God may reveal to you times when you need to
Let Go and Let God!
Life is really about change and surrendering; let go and let God!!
There is freedom in both change and surrendering. I happened to hear a sermon on change that referenced this gospel story this week.
“No one tears a piece from a new cloak to patch an old one.
Otherwise, he will tear the new
and the piece from it will not match the old cloak.
Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins.
Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins,
and it will be spilled, and the skins will be ruined.
Rather, new wine must be poured into fresh wineskins.
And no one who has been drinking old wine desires new,
for he says, ‘The old is good.'” –Luke 5:36-39 (NIV)
May it be an encouragement to you this week to remember that change is good~~God made everything on this earth to change…the only thing that never changes is GOD Himself!
Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. –Proverbs 16:3 (NIV)
Greetings in the Lord. You have my prayers for a quick and healthy recovery. Sorry to hear about your not so good experience, but, it sounds like God has and is already using that. He never misses a beat and He will give you some new ideas for things to write about as a result.
The idea of letting go is quite painful in the natural sense, because it seems to us like we are losing something valuable. But, here’s the kicker: it was never really ours in the first place. ALL things are blessings from God; even people (this includes the children He gives to parents). He gives provisions of all sorts because He is a good good Father. Yet, in the giving it to us, we are challenged to give it ALL back to Him. The tighter we hold on, the more it actually ends up hurting us.
There’s something significant that happens when we decide to truly release things/people to Him. It’s called TOTAL SURRENDER. Are we worried/concerned about any particular scenario? Well, He wants us to completely release ALL to Him. Once we willingly release situations and relationships to Him, then He can instill His perfect peace. Isaiah 26:3 “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.”(NKJV) — This is a promise from God. However, He wants our mind (our thinking processes along with our emotions and desires) to be “stayed” upon Him. To be “stayed” upon Him implies unwavering focus and confident trust. You’ve heard the phrase: “keep your eyes on the prize.” He’s the only prize worth attaining, maintaining and holding onto from here unto eternity. And as our prize, He offers something in this life that the world cannot possibly duplicate: His perfect peace.
There are many pieces of imitation that this world offers, but God gives us the WHOLESOME and authentic version of PERFECT PEACE. The world short changes us, and leaves us empty and completely discontent. God, however gives us the fullness of Himself and He fulfills us to the fullest and He completely completes us.
As someone once told me; sin is a control issue. And the heart of the problem is a problem with the heart. Our nature is to cling to dear life. But Jesus states that: “he who loses his life for my sake will find it”-Matthew 10:39 (NIV) So, basically, there’s no finding the real true life that Christ offers unless we are willing to lose our life. This means lay our lives down without hesitation or reservation. This means to be continually dying to “self”. For self HAS TO DIE in order that Christ will live in us and so that the life of Jesus will live through us.
Painful as it might seem to the natural man to lose my-“self”; it is needed and it is necessary. For there is nothing in my-“self” or of my-“self” that can really be unselfish. The natural man thinks only of “self”. So letting go is a foreign concept to the “selfish man” wanting to hold onto life a little bit longer. But, I think it’s safe to say that I’m not really living life, unless I’m dying to “self”. As Paul put it in Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
Like you already indicated; letting go is giving up the right to be in control. And since we have died with Christ, this means we have no rights to holding onto what belongs to Him and Him alone. What’s the sense in attempting to fight for a position that rightfully belongs to God? We would ultimately lose that battle and that war. Surrender is the only true way to render my-“self” completely abandoned to the cause of Christ. Carrying around “selfish” notions is only carrying around dead weight, so, might as well lay it ALL and leave it ALL at the feet of Jesus.
Hoping you are blessed as you read this. He is with you in EVERY season. May you find your rest In Him as you recover to full health. May He cover you with His perfect peace in your thoughts and May He wash over you in His perfect love. —SHALOM—
As always, Christopher, I so appreciate you reading and your sharings that do indeed bless me and encourage me to reflect more. Yes, I so agree with the thought that ALL we have in this world is from Him, so we really don’t have that control like we think we do. Great thoughts! I also so appreciate your prayers and encouragement. May God continue to bless you through these simple thoughts that He inspires~~Continue strong!
Hi Christine! So sorry to hear about your injury. My thoughts and prayers will be with you for a speedy recovery. Loved this message, Let go, and Let God! Thank you for continuing to encourage and inspire me…Be Blessed!!!!
Thank you for your kindness, Lorie! Hope there are no babies to hold for awhile longer….Yes, I am trying to live this out…easier written than practiced for me! 😉 Thanks for faithfully reading…I am blessed!
Ah, Christine, so sorry your moped threw you and caused such a painful injury. Prayers for that pesky elbow to knit and heal quickly. Your blog comes to me at a time where/when I know that I must let go and let God. Thank you for your reinforcement and encouragement! Sharon
What a wonderful surprise to hear from you, Sharon! It is such a blessing to know that God used these words to help encourage and reinforce what you are going through. Keep trying, one step at a time, to let go and let God. I know how difficult it can be but we should trust His goodness! 🙂 Blessings to you and your family~