A few months back, the Lord took something out of my life that was very precious to me at the time. I was clouded with a heavy sense of sadness for a long time. I was so confused as to why God would do something that would leave me feeling so empty and so hurt. However, I soon found myself becoming more involved in the church life. Gradually, I learned that God has an eternal purpose that can only be achieved through us, and this gave me the motivation to fight my problems head on with the Lord on my side rather than feeling like He was against me. I no longer feel sad and grey, the emptiness has been filled, and I feel more supplied than ever with the Lord’s love and grace. It was during this journey that I learned the importance of the phrase “Let Go, Let God.”
What does it mean to “Let Go, Let God”?
It is easy to misread “Let Go, Let God” as motivation to give up and let God take care of all our problems like a magician that can make everything disappear at the snap of His fingers. But the Lord doesn’t work that way. He uses these problems to speak to us and fill us with His grace. The Lord’s grace is so sufficient that it gives us the capability to conquer all our problems with Him by our side. We shouldn’t shift to autopilot during our problems, but allow God to use us as tools for the sake of fulfilling His eternal purpose.
Learning How to “Let Go, Let God”
It’s human nature to love the things in the world and hold on to them so tightly. These things in the world, however, are just stumbling blocks between us and the Lord.
Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes! (Matthew 18:7)
So when the Lord knocks on our door, and tells us to give something up, we shouldn’t be reluctant, for we cannot control the things that we have not created. It is important for us to understand that there are some things that aren’t part of the Lord and that often means we have to give them up. A brother once told me he used to feel as if the Lord was a claw wanting to rip things out of our hearts. This claw created remarkably tough trials that seemed impossible to overcome at the time. It is inevitable that we will all face these trials of faith that will hinder our joy. However, in His infinite wisdom, God allows these trials in order to develop our perseverance and cause us to fix our hopes on the glory that is yet to be revealed. God puts trials into our lives not to punish us, but to strengthen our character. Only under the pain of the trials can our faith and perseverance grow.
Lucky for us, God’s faithfulness should also be of comfort to us in times of trial. “Though He brings grief, He will show compassion, so great is His unfailing love.” (Lamentations 3:32) Thankfully, this brother was able to understand the meaning behind the Lord’s actions, and now sees every loss as a gain for Christ! The Lord doesn’t claw at us like a brute; rather, like a compassionate surgeon, He delicately removes what separates you from Him.
When something doesn’t go how we want it to, our instincts tell us to flee; but our spirit tells us not only to flee, but to pursue. We cannot just run away from our problems without direction. The Lord is our direction, He is the way, so we should forget the world—flee and pursue Him! Don’t focus on what is taken out of our life; focus on what you are given in replacement! Our Lord is a loving God. He will not give you anything you cannot handle (1 Cor. 10:13). And the most comforting thing is that He won’t take anything out of your life that He cannot replace with something greater—Himself! How reassuring is that!
Faith Amid Storms
Throughout my life as a believer, I have heard this message many times, and I am sure you have too. However, I am writing this because I know, through personal experience, that living out this concept is much more difficult once you are faced with a trial. I advise you to face every hardship head on, because with faith, anything can be done. In Mark 4:35-40, the disciples were on a boat with Jesus and became frightened when the waves began to break into the boat, causing it to fill with water. The disciples asked Jesus, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” Jesus then ceased the wind, calmed the sea, and asked His disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” It is so easy for us to question if the Lord is listening during these moments of friction. But if Jesus can calm a physical storm, imagine what He can do to the storms in our lives, if we only have a little faith.
The Lord uses our struggles to show Himself, that we may turn to Him in these times. This is how He becomes more deeply rooted in us. Anything that confronts us can be conquered because we have a solid foundation of God’s Spirit within us. With His grace we are capable of overcoming and fighting the good fight for the building up of the church, which is God’s goal. We must remember that through all our burdens, the Lord will remain faithful, full of grace, and loving, even when we think He’s not. Most importantly, we must understand that “Letting Go and Letting God” is best lived out by letting go of our self-will and letting God’s will prevail.
By: Taylor Sanchez
- Let Go and Let God - April 6, 2017
- Why Pray? - February 23, 2017
Good presentation. And amazing that you grasp this so early in your college years.