If you have children, you know that ‘letting go’ can be hard!
Actually, at all stages of life, there can be a lot to let go of – emotions, relationships, unrealistic expectations, control…
Sometimes the hardest thing to let go of is worry. There seems to be so much to constantly concern ourselves with, much of which is out of our control. The God we serve, though, is always in control and he wants us to let him be in control of our lives. These cares of ours put us off balance. This extra strain on our mind can affect us emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually.
The good news is that Jesus, our Creator and Savior, wants us to give our concerns to him. Jesus says he knows what we need in all areas of our life and he will provide for us. The apostle Peter encourages us to throw our anxiety onto God, because of his all-encompassing care for us. First and foremost, we need to trust him and obey him, motivated by reverence and love for him.
When we come up against worry, we may need to ask another believer to pray for us so that the Holy Spirit can bring us peace and wisdom. It can feel as if a burden is lifted when we share a concern with another believer who commits to pray for our concern. Sometimes, though, concerns are so great that we don’t even know how to pray. Isn’t it comforting to know that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us when we don’t know the words to pray (Romans 8:26)?
In God’s desire to share himself with us, he gave us his written, inspired words. Praying them allows us to speak God’s truths into our hearts. We can trust that his will be done in our lives, in his perfect timing. In our instant-mindedness, a struggle often ensues as we expect answers now, in the ways we see best.
We serve the One who is omnipotent and omniscient, whose ways are different and better than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9). God sees the whole picture and the effect, and his words accomplish his purposes.
We can let go our worries and entrust them to the mighty God we serve!