Remember not the former things, nor carefully consider things of the past. Behold, I will do something new; Now it will spring forth; Will you know it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, Rivers in the wasteland.     Isaiah 43:18-19 LSB

My mom loved to roller skate, and she was good at it. She tried her best to teach me to skate. She begged me to let go of the rails and take her hand, but I refused. She would then skate forward and backward and having the best time, but I still refused to let go.

She also liked to water ski, and I tried to use a boogie board but would never let go of the rope. I think I feared not being in control between the wheels of the skates and the waves of the water.

Sometimes we fear letting go of what we are comfortable with even if it becomes chaotic or toxic. We draw comfort with the familiarity.

I once read somewhere that we can never grab hold of the future if we’re busy holding on to the past.

Letting go can be really scary especially if it means giving up control. I remember when I first rededicated my life to the Lord. As a child, I had been saved and it had been so simple.

I had been raised in church. If the Bible said it, I believed it and tried my best to live it out. I took God at His word and never questioned His word, but I wasn’t always as good at living up to it. But as the heartaches that often accompany adulthood came along, I developed a fear of letting go.

I guess this is why Proverbs 3:5-6 is one of my favorite passages. It reminds me that if God is in control, we are in good hands and we have nothing to fear. It tells us to love the Lord with all our heart. When we do this, we trust in Him. When I was learning to swim, my dad would stretch me out in the water and put his hands beneath me to catch me should I go under.

Verse 6 tells us to acknowledge God in all we do. God is not going to play tug of war with us. Either we let it go and give it to Him or we continue to struggle with it ourselves, He doesn’t need our help.

It goes on to tells us He will make your paths straight. Letting go means trusting. When we let go of something, we have to entrust it to the Lord. I get it, sometimes that is scary because we don’t know what He will do with it. One thing I’ve learned, however, is when I give something over to Him, He will do what is best for me. This is what Romans 8:28 means when it says, The Lord works all things out for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

When we have the strength to let our worries go or cast our cares on Him, He won’t let us down. He will take good care of us because He loves us (1 Peter 5:7). When we love Him with all our heart, He reciprocates our love in such a way we can’t even comprehend it.

I can truly identify with Peter in Matthew 14:28-31 when he wanted to walk to Jesus on the water. Jesus allowed Peter to walk on the water but as Peter stopped focusing on Jesus and saw the wind and the waves, he became fearful and began to sink. We are told in verse 31 that immediately Jesus stretched out His hand to Peter and took hold of Him. He then chastised Peter for his lack of faith.

I thank God that even when my faith slips and I become fearful, His mighty hand is there to save me. It’s there for you too. If you need to let go of something, simply trust in Him. He won’t let you fall. Give your fear to Him and He will give you a peace beyond understanding (Philippians 4:6-7).

 

Have a great day!