Letting Go

What if all the things we have laid out for ourselves in the future, that would accomplish lots of work for the Kingdom, is not what the Lord has planned for us? What if we have spent years and years seeking certain endeavors just to find that the Lord was leading us a different way? There is a sense in which we have the free will to choose to do certain things that would further the Lord's Kingdom and be successful in spreading Christ's love with those who haven't known it...but I think that if we surrender our plans and submit our lives to the Lord, He can do things that are much bigger and more substantial.

When we let go, He will probably do things through us and in our lives that seem to make no sense whatsoever...these things not only test and strengthen our faith, but they also become stepping stones to the future that God has called us to. Proverbs 20:24 says "The Lord directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way?"

If we look at life as a journey...or maybe a hike up a mountain...there will be times when we are hiking full force at what seems to be a 45 degree angle, completely exhausted--the Lord will be our strength...there will be times when the path is flat and we are exposed to the glory of the sunlight---the Lord will be our companion...there will be times when there are roots and rocks obstructing the way, when we may stumble and fall, get all scratched up and bruised, and just want to stay down on the ground--the Lord will pick us up and brush us off, giving us the perseverance that develops endurance, which develops strength of character, which strengthens our confident hope of salvation (sorry, had to get some Romans 5 in there)...then there will be times when we come to the top of a peak, only to find that we are headed straight for a valley and we are nowhere near the top--the Lord will encourage us to remind us that He is constantly teaching us...there will be times when He throws things into our path that we were not expecting at all, that we must learn to use to continue on our journey--the Lord is constant and He will never change...and there will be times when we do not listen to His counsel to set up camp and call it a night, when we try to venture out and follow the path on our own in the dark---the Lord will be with us all the time and welcome us back with open arms; He will be our Light.

Even though I cannot see the way, the Lord created the map. He is building this passion within me for the goals and dreams that He has given me and I know that there is no way I can ever get there on my own...no way! But He is always there and He never fails...I must daily surrender and let go of all that I am. I am His and He is mine.