Not “Let’s Go,” but Let Go

Don’t trust the process. Trust God. The process is in His hands.

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for your life in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17

Recognize that God controls the circumstances. The circumstances are God’s will for you, His plan for your life. Don’t look at your circumstances, look at God.

And, while we travel, we have a guide, a friend, a counselor, the Holy Spirit. Jesus told the disciples that it was good for him to leave because then they would receive the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:16 says to “let the Holy Spirit guide your life.”

But, we naturally try to control the circumstances. We push, pull, fight, not trusting, not believing that God has you in His hands in the midst of the process. We lose our focus on Jesus.

Peter found himself on a rough sea, scared to death. He looks out at the choppy water and sees Christ who tells him to walk to him. Fully trusting Him, Peter leaps out of the boat, locks eyes with Christ, and starts walking toward Him. But, when Peter looks down and sees the chaotic water around him, he begins to sink. He lost focus on Jesus and began to sink. His focus on the wrong thing, the circumstances, caused him to sink.

This is us. We focus on the wrong thing. We focus on the circumstances, which many times are the standards that the world has placed upon us. Culture has a way of making one believe that a certain path needs to be traveled, that one has to change into a different person to be accepted, reach certain milestones by a specific age, be accepted by certain people, or even act a certain way. When we follow the world’s standards, we don’t trust that God has the best plan, we lose trust in God, and we quit or try to make it happen on our own.

The battle begins. The battle takes place place in the mind. Bitterness, regret, jealousy, anger, an emotional roller coaster.

But God can steady the ship. He literally did this with Peter. As the storm raged, he quieted the waters with three simple words, “peace be still.”

The battle has been won. It is over, finished on the Cross. No need to keep fighting and controlling. God has the circumstances.

When He controls, there is an outpouring of love. All the internal emotions turn to an outpouring of love toward others, loving our neighbor as ourself, the second greatest command from Christ.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

When one takes the urge to control and turns it to love for others, people notice and God is glorified. We impact others.

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16

You become a light in the midst of the process. You bring God into the middle of the process. And, in the middle of the process, you find joy.

Let go!

Impact others. Live generously.

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