Let it Go

As a part of the new year, I think many of us strive to do things differently at the turn of January 1. Whether it's dieting, exercising, budgeting, getting into our Bible more, quitting a bad habit, etc., there is a part of us we have that we want to improve on.

Letting go of things is one I could always use improvement on. As a perpetual worrier, controller, and check-lister, it's a hard thing for me to just breathe it out and let the grip loosen. Letting go has a way of helping us see God more powerfully because we set aside what we want and allow Him to be the map. But we have to make that choice.

Matthew 10:39 says,
"Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it."

Jesus tells us straight up to just let it go and rest our lives in His hands. Don't get me wrong, this definitely isn't an easy process. In fact for me to completely let go of control of my life in one instance was the scariest thing I ever went through, but the faith I gained was one I couldn't have gotten any other way than through that experience.

My daughter was two weeks old, and after spending a sleepless, colicky, blood pressure medicated week home with her, I was helicoptered out with a massive blood clot in my lungs. As a first time mother, leaving my newborn and not knowing if I would come back, it was the hardest, most emotional time of my life. But, it was also one of the most powerful times of my life, because I had to relinquish all trust to other people to make me survive, and I shouldn't have survived.

Letting go of that control was the hardest, but most necessary thing for me. As I get years on the other side of that event, I can tell you that was both a valley and a mountain top for my faith.

Let it go. Let grudges go. Let God have your relationships. Let Him take your worries, your pain, your circumstances, and seek Him in those things. It's worth everything. This week, we'll be looking at ways to let it go and start fresh this year in seeing God fully because of it. We'll also probably succeed in getting that song stuck in your head too. (Sorry about that.)

Scripture to read this week:
Genesis 12

Questions to ponder:

What do you have trouble letting go?

Have you ever had a time when you had to let go? What was that like?

As you read Genesis 12 this week, consider how Abraham had to let go. How was this for the best?

How would you react if God told you to leave all you knew for another place?