Published by Letting go is something everyone faces. I learned the hard way as many of us do how to walk by faith and not by sight. I had to face the reality that I was not in control. Letting go of my self-proclaimed control was hard as I am to some small degree “a control freak.” Life taught me to let go and let God. My trying circumstances empower Him to prove to me I needed to let go and let the Waymaker make a way out of no way for me. Be encouraged, because He is able at all times.
It is late in the midnight hours. You have tossed and turned, punched the pillows and changed position a hundred times; nothing helps sleep still evades you. The bills are piling up; you have several pending disconnection notices and decision of which bill gets paid or goes to wayside weighs you down. The doctor has told you will now need insulin to manage your Type II Diabetes. You may find you fit in one or more of these circumstances or perhaps you like me have fit them all at same time at one time or other. In your mind you wonder how you lost control; when did your life spiral out of your control? Faced with life’s circumstances you believe there is nothing you can do about your problems. You have to let go.
We have all had moments in our lives where circumstances have beaten us back like a raging wind. You are at wit’s end as you fight the onslaught of perplexing problems like lacking finances, incurable illnesses and love gone awry. The pain from you circumstances that drives you back by is indescribable. Who could you express this pain too anyway? In fact, you retreat you do not want think about the hard times forget talking about them. You become fearful, frustrated and feel like a failure. Why because you have lost your ability to control the circumstances in your life.
The main problem with letting go and trusting in a source outside yourself is the fear that grips you and does not let go. Understand and hear me well fear and faith are complete opposites. You must let go of one to grab hold of the other. Some will say fear is natural. They claim fear is helpful and even necessary part to exercise restraint. For clarity, Merriam Webster Dictionary provides four definitions of fear: (1) to frighten; to make afraid, terrify: (2) to feel fear [in oneself]: (3) to have a reverent fear [fear God]: (4) to be afraid, expect with alarm, to be apprehensive. From Webster’s definitions excluding the fear of God, clearly fear causes a negative feeling. When negative circumstances overwhelm you-you will naturally become filled with alarm. You are looking at the circumstances and seemingly there is no solution. The reality is you must let go of fear and grab hold of faith.
Faith by definition creates positive feeling. The Merriam Webster Dictionary provides three definitions of faith: (1) allegiance to duty or a person; (2) belief and trust in and loyalty to God; firm belief in something for which there is no proof; complete trust: (3) something that is believed especially with strong conviction. Each of these definitions provides the reasoning why fear and faith cannot remain together. I learned I had to let go of every image and imaging in my mind that opposed my loyalty to God. There is no possible way to be fearful and faithful at the same time. I saw God revealing His promises in my circumstances. I learned to make sound confessions with my mouth. I realized there was no time in my life that God failed. I could not think of one time that I did not come through the rough times. I discovered through troubles and trying times that He is able all the time.
It occurred to me, as I spent countless days and nights worrying about matters I could not change or even fretting over bad choices I made-I was exhausted. Worrying and being fearful made me age. I looked angry and frustrated all the time. I was. I was tired and down all the time. I lived paycheck to paycheck. That paycheck did not cover everything. I devised budgets and saved money but then something would arise I would have to use the savings. Lack of finances brought on stress, stress exasperated health issues and adversely affected my peace of mind. It seemed the more I tried to fix or handle my circumstances the more I failed. For control freaks failure is not optional.
You must let fear of failure go. Failing is often the progression to success. But fear of failure will immobilize you from reaching for success. If you begin living your life by doing only the things you can control-you will not be living life to its full potential. You will lessen your dreams and I mean all of your dreams. You will see life as limited. Indeed, it is limited especially when one thinks small. You will not believe you can achieve your dream of homeownership if you fear you will never be able to make the mortgage payments for thirty years. Forget higher education for you or children fear limits you from seeing a degree after four years of studying especially if you cannot see where the money will come from. Fear of failure does more than defer dreams it murders dreams.
Surrendering your control and relying on the Waymaker and His ability means you have to walk in faith. Faith is substance or the essence of God. By letting go of fear and grabbing hold to faith you are inviting God to come into your circumstance and be the Waymaker. When I learned to do this I discovered I did not spend much time being fearful or apprehensive. Noticed I am not telling you that I no longer fear or become apprehensive. I will tell you when fear or apprehension show up-I relinquish control and think of the promises of God and actively recall that He has never failed me.
My nights are restful and my days productive because the way that has been prepared for me, is unimaginable-more than I could envision. I can’t tell you I have no worries, instead I will tell you that I hand them over to the Waymaker. When I cannot see my way clearly, I look to the Waymaker and stand on His Word-which points me to faith. This is a choice and it is an active lifestyle. You will grow in it day by day. As the winds of suffering blow, do not become fearful, let go of fear and hold faithfully to the Waymaker’s hands.
