Let Go and Let God

God's grace only has meaning when we have seen our need. Now we gladly accept Jesus' payment of our debt. Along with this forgiveness He also provides us with a new spiritual life based on our new connection with Him. To enable this gift we must cooperate. We must place ourselves in His care, just as we would place ourselves in the hands of a personal trainer. This requires a type of submission (Rm 6).

So what does submission mean? With repentance we acknowledge we have been going the wrong way. We die to our old life and are "reborn", receiving a new connection with God. We choose to follow Him. That Submission involves letting go - giving up our independence in some ways. Trust leads us to place our lives in God's care because it's the best thing we can do for ourselves.

Many get bogged down here, failing to understand the nature of our new covenant relationship with God. The key is to remember that the issue is not our submission, but the way God deals with us, the nature of the relationship. This is not some test where God is trying to see how far we will go. All He wants is our willingness. God will not use force or pressure, yet we must be willing to let Him impact our lives. It is the freedom given within the relationship that prevents a feeling of bondage.

Rather than thinking about what we are giving up we need to look at what we are getting. Jesus said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened [trying to make our way in life], and I will give you rest" (Matt 11:28). "So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' … your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" (Matt 6:31-34). Placing ourselves in God's care allows us to trust in His provision. Too often we fail to tap the power available here. We don't get it! - God is now truly working in ALL our circumstances for our good (Rm 8:28).

The book of Daniel speaks of three Jewish captives; Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. The king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, had trained them for leadership. All was well until Nebuchadnezzar set up a great image in the desert and demanded that all worship it or be thrown into a giant furnace. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego were loyal to God and refused. When given a second chance, they responded: "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king." (Dan 3:16,17).

They were thrown into the furnace, but the outcome was not as Nebuchadnezzar had anticipated. Fixing his gaze on the flames, the astonished king shouted in amazement, "'Weren't there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?' … 'Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the forth looks like a son of the gods.' "

These faithful men found their security in God. The issue for them was trusting God and following Him. They lived for an audience of one. That makes life simple. By placing ourselves in God's care we find a fortress that will withstand any assault. Peace comes as we hold on to the security that provides. Resting in God's love and care is the foundation of Christian spirituality. If we fail here, our lives will have little spiritual power.

Too many think they are trusting God but fail to do their homework. They pray for God's help but don't let go, trusting their needs and cares to God. They don't fight their longings, worry, and anxiety with a determined trust. They never find peace. Their spiritual life is constantly frustrated.

We too often fail to take hold of the security we have in God. We hope He is caring for us. We think He might be working in our circumstances, but fail to take hold of that surety. We are not sure we have been as faithful as we should have been. We may have missed His cue and turned the wrong way. We feel that our situation could not possibly be part of the "all things" of Romans 8:28. You would think we are the shepherd and God the Sheep. Poor little guy is always getting lost and forgetting what He is supposed to be doing. God is love and He is able. He has said He is there, working ALL things together for our good - that is a fact. However, it won't do us any good if we don't take hold of it (Jms 1:6,7).

So often we simply hold to this idea in theory. We feel our circumstances are an error. We forget that the first thing God did with the children of Israel, after leading them out of Egypt, was to guide them into a trap. The Red Sea stood in front of them; canyon walls on both sides, and the Egyptian army plugged the only exit. Surely there was some mistake. However, God had prepared a way of deliverance.

When David and his men found their village burned and their families taken captive, the Bible states that David "strengthened himself in the Lord" (I Sam 30:6). When trouble comes, we must do the same. We must take hold of the fact of God's sovereign power and activity in our present circumstances.

Speaking of our problems in her book, God of All Comfort, Hannah Smith has this to say. "He may not have ordered them, but He is in them somewhere, and He is in them to compel, even the most grievous, to work together for our good. The "second causes" of the wrong may be full of malice and wickedness, but faith never sees second causes. It sees only the hand of God behind the second causes. They are all under His control, and not one of them can touch us except with His knowledge and permission. The thing itself that happens cannot perhaps be said to be the will of God, but by the time its effects reach us they have become God's will for us, and must be accepted as from His hands."

We want it easy - gain without pain. That isn't going to happen. Many times we are placed in painful situations. There is that relationship at work that causes constant friction or some physical problem. God is not tormenting us. He is using our circumstances to foster spiritual growth. However, we expect God to free us from those circumstances. Instead, He is using them to bring us to acceptance. This is a powerful place where we accept what comes, because we know that our loving God is working things for our good. There may be rocky paths, but the good will come.

Some get confused about faith. They see faith as a magic wand or as a quarter dropped into a heavenly vending machine. However, faith is more a means of connecting with, or tapping into, the realities of God's kingdom. It's like the reaction of one who hears the word "fire" in a theater. You can tell who believes by their response. Those who believe the word, act: those who don't, simply sit there.

We too often fall into the trap that is so natural for us. We look to our feelings or circumstances to determine our reality. We look to what we feel and see for our truth. Christianity calls on us to do the opposite. Christianity defines a reality that should then change our feelings. It states the truth that if believed changes our perspective.

Our feelings and circumstances often lie to us. They cause us to be spiritually myopic. We must learn to let God's facts shepherd our feelings. The Bible presents spiritual reality. It calls us to take hold of "God's facts," letting them shape our feelings. That reality goes something like this. God is working in everything for our good (Rm 8:28). He'll never leave us (Heb 13:5), and He'll supply all our needs (Phil 4:19). It says God desires a bright future for us (Jer 29:11) and that He'll make up for our wasted years (Joel 2:25). It says that nothing can stand in God's way (Jer 32:27, Dan 4:35), so we never have to be beaten by the enemy (I Cor 10:13). It also says that He is love (I Jn 4:8) and defines that love in I Corinthians 13.

We must live in this spiritual reality. We must take God's promises to the bank, letting them shape our perspective on life. Summarized they state that our loving God is constantly conspiring to bless us. The problem is that we want to define those blessings rather than being content with the circumstances God allows. When trials come, we complain and loose our peace. What we think determines our attitudes and our attitudes are everything.

Then there's the issue of temptation. Temptations are ghosts of our old life. Those ghosts have no power unless we get "sucked in." They huff and puff, stirring up a whirlwind of feelings. Yet, they can't touch us unless we respond to their charade. If we trust God, ignoring their bluster, temptations will evaporate.

With the Holy Spirit comes freedom from our bondage to sin. The chains are broken. "For sin shall not be your master" (Rm 6). We must embrace this fact. However, many try to protect their spiritual life by religious acts or cloistering themselves away from temptation. This only results in religiousness, a contrived "goodness." I'm not saying the alcoholic should hang out in a bar. That would be foolish. The point is that it's not our efforts we must rely on. We now rely on God. We act because we can (Rm 8:2-4), backed by His strength, rather than by depending on our efforts to do right. It is the Holy Spirit that now supports us in situations where we fear our weakness. We must take hold of this fact, for our feelings will often deny it.

Following God requires that we know His will. How do we determine that? Well, how do we know what anyone wants? We ask them. So, ask God, confident that He will answer (Matt 7:7-11, Jms 1:5,6). We must also be willing to follow Him. Then check those answers with the Bible, He will always be consistent with His Word. Now act on His guidance as it comes through that Word, counsel, or providential circumstances. Finally, be reasonable. God is not the author of confusion.

Finally, get moving. When we have established the foundation of resting in God's care, activity is the best thing to get our minds off our problems. Get busy doing that which lies in front of you.

Copyright 8/04, Patrick Fagenstrom - edited 4/10

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