Letting Go and Letting God
To "let go and let God" is a phrase that you either have said, or may be likely to hear at some point in your faith walk. "Just let go and let God". When I first heard it, I had some inkling of what it meant and on occasion I even heard myself using it. More often than not it irritated me because it always came across as sounding smug or trite to my ears. It's been many years now and I can't even remember the occasions I would have shared those words. But for today I have found new meaning in them.
On the way to work today I was listening to a brief radio broadcast about a particular family of birds. I was instantly struck by the imagery of my own home/nest and how similar yet different the process of nesting is.
The bird spoken of in the story built her nest once and she built it well, her goal being to provide a safe place to lay her eggs and raise her babies. Any of us who are moms can relate to that. Most of us are nesters. We've taken great effort to provide an environment of safety and care for our children and a place for our husbands to come home to, night after night. It's a great feeling.
One big difference between me and the bird however, is that she didn't continue to keep her nest a comfy, cozy, welcoming place. Nature takes its course and she follows that course as she was designed to. Her grown birds have to go. She has to allow them to get pushed out of the nest, up on to the edge, where they either fly or die. Sounds harsh, doesn't it?
Nonetheless, from the moment she laid her eggs she was preparing them to leave it. She nestled, nourished and nurtured them to maturity. And since she hadn't moved bigger and better, the nest was soon way too crowded. And one by one, the birdies hop up on the edge to be pushed off the edge or fly away. Well, all, that is, except one. This one decided to linger in all that extra space for a few extra days, after his siblings "flew the coup" and let his mom continue feeding him.
But instead, "Mama got disgusted with her nest-addicted child and she quit feeding him. First, there was a lot of squawking and fussing, and then even he abandoned the nest to finally touch the sky."
What's the point of this story? For me it was a loud and clear confirmation to "let go and let God". There comes a time when the nest needs to not be so comfortable, that to keep it so, is to cripple the one you are trying to care for. It's okay to let them go, to release them to the Father's care. There is tremendous comfort in knowing that as my Father cares for the sparrows, He cares tenfold for His children and He will care for the ones He has given me. So as hard as it is, I will "let go and let God".
My question for you today:
Is there anything you are holding on to that God is asking you to hand over to Him?
Stephanie
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