20 Years 20 Lessons - Lesson 8 - Let Go - Let God

I think one of the absolute hardest things we have to do in life - is let go and let God. We can claim to have great big faith...faith that can move mountains...faith that can heal the sick, faith that can overcome anything but in reality when we are pushed to the test we don't always move those mountains with our faith - sometimes we go around that mountain a few times.

Lesson 8 - Sometimes you have to let go of something precious in order to receive something even more precious from God. We have to let go and let God.

When we are truly ready to let go of the sin in our life we find ourselves almost running to the altar to give it all to God. We don’t want the bondage holding us back anymore. We confess our ugliest self to God and press forward to the best of our ability to receive the healing, the deliverance and the blessings that He has for us. But what about the 'good' things that we have to let go of in order to receive even better things??? We can barely understand why we have to give those things up - never mind running to do so. I have found that those requests from the Lord can be the most excruciating tests.

One of the greatest personal examples I have for this (and I have lots) is when God told me to leave my home church. Hardest...Test…Ever! I was comfortable, everyone knew me, I was a pastor, I had been there for over 20 years, I was helping people and actively involved in our community through this fellowship. I could have stayed there forever and remained perfectly content. God had different plans.

Isaiah 55:8-9 

 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

    neither are your ways my ways,”

declares the Lord.

 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,

    so are my ways higher than your ways

    and my thoughts than your thoughts.

God had to deal with me for a very long time before I would obey...to the point I was actually grieving the Spirit with my disobedience and I became miserable attending my church. I would wake up on Sunday mornings and feel heavy, grieved and I would cry for a good hour before I could get myself together enough to go to church. The day finally came when God spoke to me sternly, "I told you to go." Those few words brought such conviction that I knew I could no longer walk in disobedience. As much as it was going to hurt my flesh to leave - that hurt could not compare to the hurt I was feeling - knowing that I was being disobedient to what God was asking me to do. So I finally conceded and told my senior pastor I was leaving.

I stepped out in faith and when I did God immediately opened doors to the ministry He was calling me to - evangelism. Evangelism had always been a part of the plan. God had always told me I would go that way...but I thought I'd be doing both. I just knew I'd stay at my home church forever and travel as the doors opened. I had even discussed it with my senior pastor and he was very supportive. That was my plan - not God's.

It was impossible for me to do both at the same time. I had to let go of one in order to receive the other. So many times in life we find ourselves holding on to something so tightly because we can't imagine it getting better, or we think we don't deserve better - we get comfortable where we are and just stay there. Sometimes letting go is just about strengthening our faith...sometimes it's to receive something greater...sometimes it's just a test...but all the time God is working out the good for our life.

Romans 8:28

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

I want to encourage you today - if God is dealing with you about letting go of something - then let go and let God. He is a loving God that wants to see you living your best life. He would never ask you to give up something good to give you something that isn't. Trust Him. Don’t wait like I did until you become miserable. Take a leap of faith and trust that God is leading the way to greater things in your life.