Is God telling me it's time to let it go?

June 12, 2014: Is God telling me it's time to let it go? Please "Share" this Precious Prodigal Post: http://bit.ly/1n7DQWi

1 Kings 12:24 "Thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren…for this thing is from me…"

Rehoboam was Solomon’s son, but he lacked Solomon’s wisdom. And perhaps the biggest mistake he made was answering the people harshly when they asked him to lighten their burdens. That decision caused the division of the kingdom.

Angered by Israel’s rebellion, Rehoboam gathered 180,000 men to fight and bring her into submission. But God told Rehoboam he was not to go and fight against his brethren. Why? Because, God said, “this thing is from me.” It was part of God’s plan.

My life verse is Jeremiah 29:11, which tells me that God has a plan for me too, and His plan is not to harm me but to give me hope and a future. I believe that with all my heart…well, most of the time anyway. I also know that whatever God allows to come into my life is for my good. Again, I know that most of the time.

But I have to admit there have been times when I couldn’t see God’s hand in what was happening. There have been losses and hurts so devastating that they robbed me of my joy. I sometimes even questioned whether God knew or cared that I was hurting. It took time for the pain to lessen so I could see God’s hand…and sometimes it was hard even then. Maybe I have a hummingbird brain.

Hummingbirds are tiny, beautiful and great fun to watch. However, they are also very territorial. They will stake out one feeder and chase other hummers away from it. Last year, we had one little female like that. The feeder she chose was damaged so we couldn’t fill it anymore. It was empty, but that didn’t stop her from guarding it.

When we removed the feeder, she stubbornly remained on the hanger where it used to be. There were several other feeders and perhaps a dozen hummingbirds feeding at them so there was food and plenty to spare for her. While the others were growing and gaining weight and strength for their migration, we watched sadly as she desperately held onto what could never nourish or help her grow.

Foolish hummingbird. But are we really so different? We lose the job, the house, and all the things money can buy, and we grieve as though they really mattered in the light of eternity. We’re passed over for a promotion, and we’re miserably unhappy about it even though it would have kept us out of church.

That person we think we can’t live without walks away without looking back, and we desperately chase after what God is trying to protect us from. Or we hang on to bitterness, refusing to forgive and lock ourselves in a prison of our own making. The feeder is gone, but there we are holding on to that person, that thing, or that heart attitude that God is telling us isn’t right for us.

I know it hurts…I’m right there with you. But don’t you think the time has come for us to trust God when He says, “this thing is from Me?” Whatever it is we’re holding on to, maybe it’s time to let it go.

Challenge for Today: Can you, just for today, trust God when He says, “This thing is from me?” Can you choose to let it go?