I have said to Nick before in total desperation, "I can't try any harder. What do you want me to do?" And I remember him saying, "God doesn't want you to try, He wants you to let go."
Can you relate friends? If you are like me, you see a task you do it. There's a problem, you try to fix it. It's so easy to get wrapped up in my own abilities and desires and focus on me instead of focusing on Jesus. My intentions are pure, as I try to fix and prove myself but that's what made this realization all the more difficult to accept. I humbly lay down my abilities at His feet, but quickly pick them up to prove I am worthy, I am good enough, I am able to serve with the best of them. I call this humble pride and if we are honest with ourselves, we have all struggled with taking pride in how humble and truly sacrificial we are.
The proud fixate on what they can do and become weary and laden with the problems and troubles around them. But those who fix themselves on the Lord, have a renewed strength and do not grow weary. They rely on Gods provision and abilities and give Him glory in all circumstances and situations.
You see friends, we don't understand everything but God does. We can't fix things as completely and perfectly as He can. When we take a step back, submit our will to Christ and allow Him to do the fixing and move in our lives, we feel all things good. Because perfect love drives out all fear and His ways are far better than our own.
God gets it. Let that truly sink in. He gets it and He's going to do something about it, just on His time and in His way. It seems like the more I step in to try to resolve the problem, the more mess I make and God whispers simple truths, "Be still, I'm here. Think of only things excellent and praiseworthy. Be joyous in all circumstances and worship me no matter what happens. I've got it. Be at peace."
So I celebrate today letting go of what I think I can do and letting God do what He does best. I celebrate full surrender that comes deep inside my soul when I painfully submit my pride and idols at His feet. I celebrate the joyous rest I feel when I truly allow God to take over as I step back and allow myself to marvel at His ways and praise Him through the storm.
I confess my inadequacies and call upon the One who can take my brokenness and transform it into something beautiful. God is and will always be able to handle it. He doesn't care about my works, He asks me to fully surrender. Not work; surrender. I've got to stop trying to prove I'm worth dying for and just let go and surrender my will, my control, my abilities, my understanding, my desires to Him. Trust Him and truly be at peace. No more trying to show Him in worth loving, just accept I am loved.
God can and will take care of it, on His time and in His way. He's on the throne my friends, and I must stop trying to wrestle for that seat in my own life. No more trying. No more working. Only worship and surrender.
Celebrate my friends celebrate for His love is deeper than our humanness can ever comprehend and completely undeserved and not attached to anything we have ever done or will do. He loves us because He is love, and nothing I do our ever will do can make Him love me any more or less. When this truth becomes real to us, it changes everything.
Let it sink in. Let it go. Let God love you how He wants to and stop trying to prove yourself for He's able and willing to make things right His way on His timeframe.
Celebrate my friends, celebrate.
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”
1 Peter 5:6-7 NIV
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Romans 12:1-2 NIV