Let it Go
Cast all your cares on him for he cares for you. ! Pet 5:7
The individuals that I work with have multiple handicaps. Most are in wheelchairs and many have limbs that are misshapen. Some have a condition called spasticity. There are opposing muscle sets in the body. For example, the biceps contract and the arm raises, and then the triceps contract to bring the arm down. A person who is spastic has both muscle groups contracting at the same time. As a result, the body part is effectively frozen. One common result of this condition is hands that are clenched tightly. The hands start to sweat and provide a perfect breeding ground for all sorts of germs, especially since air cannot get to the skin. The muscles get sore and the joints get stiff, which can be very painful. If the condition continues the circulation can be cut off from the tissues and the skin and even the muscles can die.
All this happens because people are not able to open their hands. As much as a problem as this is in the physical world, it is also a huge problem in the spiritual world. What is most hard for you to let go of? We all have different struggles. For me, it is letting go of a problem or situation instead of trying to force a solution on my own. It usually doesn’t work any better for me than it did for Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar. For some, it may be letting go of resentment or of guilt over bad decisions. For others it may be letting go of a habit that has them in bondage. Whatever the struggle, the result is the same. Like the opposing muscle groups there are opposing forces in our lives – our flesh and our spirit. Holding tightly to something creates a breeding ground for fear, guilt, shame and resentment, and the healing of the spirit cannot get to our hurting places. This can cause more pain in our lives and we may begin to withdraw from God or from fellowship. This can cause our spirits to begin to die.
We can all agree that this is a bad thing, but what is the solution? Simply put it is to let go. This idea is at the center of the 12 step programs - let go and let God. It works with all the struggles we mentioned. God can eliminate resentment in a moment that we work on for years. He can work solutions that we never dreamed of when we cast our cares on him. (1 Pet 5:7) I have seen this twice int the past month when I finally said, “OK, God. If you never do this for me I will still serve you and love you.” Seemingly hopeless situations resolved almost overnight. Finally, Jesus died not only for our sin, but for our shame and guilt. He tells us in Romans 8:1 that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Dare to have the courage to let go. It is easier to hold on because we are in control of the outcome, and it takes faith and courage to trust God with our dreams and our hurts. It is worth it though, because the almighty God of the universe cares for you.
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