I saw a social media post the other day that said, "During the fall, the trees are about to show you just how beautiful letting go can be!" I loved that! I thought about all of the things I, and probably most of you, need to let go of right now. Number one - we are not in control. Give up and give it to God! I think we all have some things we could let go of!
Along those same lines, I read a chart about Psalm 46: 10, "Be still and know that I am God" that gave me a lot to think about it. I don't know about you but it is hard for me to be still without falling asleep. If my body gets still it thinks it is time to go to bed and wake up in the morning. I really have to work on this. That is why I like to "be still" sitting outside, on the beach, riding a bike or walking. This is a time I do not check my phone, I do not talk to others. I try to just think about God being God.
"And know that I am God." That is a huge short sentence! How do we do this? We stop doubting and be sure of Who is in charge. No matter what happens we can have the faith that we will be ok. Our God is our Savior, Provider, Healer, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Almighty, Love, Hope, Rock, and so many other things. He is a Helper in time of trouble. Psalm 46: 1, "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." He is our Shepherd and our Protector!
He will never leave us. Hebrews 13: 5, "God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'” Deuteronomy 31: 6, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” He will bring good from bad for those who love Him! 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." And we know that He has a purpose for us. Jeremiah 29: 11, "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" Not just plans to keep us safe but plans to prosper us! He has plans to give us hope. He has plans to give us a future! No one else can promise us these things! We must listen to God and trust Him!
When we are still and know that God is God, we are giving up control. We give up because we know God is the only One Who can control the things that are out of control in our life. When we are stressed it is because we are in conflict with God. We are either trying to control something or giving up. Surrender to God!
Most of us have heard Dr. Reinhold Niebuhr's, “The Serenity Prayer.” "God, give me grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, Courage to change the things which should be changed, and the Wisdom to distinguish the one from the other." But I had never read the full version until recently. I think it is what I needed to read and meditate on. “Living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time, accepting hardship as a pathway to peace, taking as Jesus did this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; trusting that you will make all things right if I surrender to your will so that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with you forever in the next. Amen.”
The world is certainly not as I would have it but I will trust God! During this season, let's remember when we see the beautiful fall colored trees, "just how beautiful letting go can be!"
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