Let Go and Let God

How do we Let Go and Let God control the trivial and momentous stuff of life?

Whether Let Go and Let God is as familiar as your favorite jeans or something new and novel, this catchy phrase is worth a little unpacking. When we let go of something we surrender control over it. It could be letting go of past regrets, current stress or an uncertain future. We release the tight grasp on our expectations for life. This includes our self-sufficiency and the false impression that we were actually in control in the first place. The second part, Letting God, is where things get interesting, or dare I say exciting.

We All Want Answers

“How will I handle the increasing physical demands of care giving, face an uncertain future and stay emotionally strong enough for both of us?” I wonder. “What’s the best way to be fully present for my loved one yet still find time to nurture my dreams? These are just a few of the big things competing for the crowded space in my heart.

How about you? What questions leave you wondering how this complicated thing called life will work? Whatever you face, please know it’s impossible to prevent the human tendency to want answers. But often these answers are different than expected or not aligned to our timing. Knowing this, we are left with a choice. We can either stay stuck in the swirl of fear and anxiety or make a decision to trust God instead.

We gain insight into the “how” of trusting God in the the next verse found in Psalms.

“In God whose word I praise – in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” Psalm 56:4.

Praising God’s word means we embrace it’s power and truth for our personal situations. As this truth settles into our core way of thinking we realize the smallness of our mortal concerns. Especially as we hold these concerns up to the light of God’s unconditional love and our eternal life through Jesus. Fear fades and we loosen our grip on the outcomes we so desperately strive to control. As we seek God’s plan for our life, surrender becomes an act of anticipation vs resignation. We embrace the infinitely more that God has for our lives which we couldn’t imagine in our wildest dreams.

How Jesus Let Go and Let God

Jesus is the ultimate example of someone who Let Go and Let God. Even though He was God’s Son, He took time to read Scripture, absorbing its truth. Jesus also sought quiet places to spend time with His Father in prayer and seek His input. Here’s the part that usually trips most of us up – Jesus then listened and obeyed! By living in close connection with our heavenly Father, Jesus found the humility and strength to surrender everything. He trusted that going to the cross would accomplish what religious law never could – our freedom from sin. That’s the ultimate testimony of what’s possible when we trust in God’s plan!

Jesus, thank you for showing us what it means to let go and let God fulfill His plan through us. Help us seek your Spirit of humility and strength as we release our expectations for life. May we be filled with anticipation as we partner with you to accomplish infinitely more than we ever dreamed possible. Amen.