Let go and let God - a great article. šŸ˜Š

ANewLife4Me

Active Member
It sounds like such a straightforward statement: let go and let God. Easy to say but not so easy to do. Right? People who say that donā€™t necessarily have your life with its stress, worries, fears and problems. Or maybe itā€™s just me thinking this way?

So ā€œlet go and let Godā€ may seem simple, but itā€™s not. Still, that doesnā€™t mean it canā€™t be done. It doesnā€™t even mean that it has to be hard. Itā€™s possible, ifā€”and sure, thatā€™s a fairly big ā€œifā€ā€”you sincerely and prayerfully follow steps such as these:

1) Identify what you can controlā€”and what you canā€™t.

My wife is a professional counselor. She and I often remind each other of our shared definition of mental and spiritual health: controlling what you canā€”not what you canā€™t.

Much of our inability to ā€œlet go and let Godā€ stems from our failure to recognize that often the things that stress us and worry us are things we canā€™t control.

2) Address what you can control.

Another key to mental health is action. In fact, very often inactivity breeds worry, even depression. One antidote to worry and stress is action. So, instead of brooding over your situation, take action on the things you can control (which almost exclusively pertain to you and your attitudes; funny how that works).

3) Surrender what you canā€™t control.

In the words of the late theologian E. Stanley Jones, ā€œSurrender the thing you fear into the hands of God. Turn it right over to God and ask Him to solve it with you. Fear is keeping things in your own hands; faith is turning them over into the hands of Godā€”and leaving them there.ā€

4) Meditate on the promises of your faithful God.

The psalmist sang, ā€œI remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all Your works and consider what Your hands have doneā€ (Psalm 143:5, NIV).

Replace your frantic thoughts with calming thoughts, based on Godā€™s promises such as, ā€œNever will I leave you; never will I forsake you.ā€ (Hebrews 13:5, NIV).

5) Choose a ā€œletting goā€ motto.

Select a memorable verse or phrase that you can repeat to yourself throughout the day to keep your mind and spirit from descending into worry.

For example, ā€œin quietness and in confidence shall be your strengthā€ (Isaiah 30:15, KJV) or ā€œIt is well with my soul.ā€ You might even choose a new one every day or every week.

6) Resolve not to act on fear but on faith.

To quote E. Stanley Jones again, ā€œNever act on a fear, for fears are usually falseā€¦. Donā€™t build your life according to any pattern shown to you in the valley of fear. Wait till you get to the mount of faith and then build your life plans.ā€

7) Focus your mind and heart on trusting God today.

Jesus said, ā€œDo not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its ownā€ (Matthew 6:34, NIV).

He didnā€™t suggest that we wonā€™t have trouble; far from it. He did say, however, that we should focus our minds and hearts on this day and its challenges. Thatā€™s plenty. The same God who is with us and empowers us to meet today will be there tomorrow.

So maybe ā€œlet go and let Godā€ isnā€™t expecting too much. If, that is, we do it one day at a time.
 
Top