Written by Rob Bailes
Letting go is against my nature
Have you ever noticed how funny it is when you give two children only one toy to play with? They have to share it with each other but no matter how good of a child they are, it's hard for them to willingly share something that they want to play with. They will hold onto it as long as they possibly can and may even fight over it when the other child tries to take it away. We were born with a nature to collect and gather and protect our toys and possessions while on this earth, so what happens when we can't have what we want? We often get angry and as a child pitch a little fit. Have we any idea why we do all of this in the first place?
Have you ever noticed how funny it is when you give two children only one toy to play with? They have to share it with each other but no matter how good of a child they are, it's hard for them to willingly share something that they want to play with. They will hold onto it as long as they possibly can and may even fight over it when the other child tries to take it away. We were born with a nature to collect and gather and protect our toys and possessions while on this earth, so what happens when we can't have what we want? We often get angry and as a child pitch a little fit. Have we any idea why we do all of this in the first place?
I believe that we spend our lives collecting and gathering things to surround ourselves with because it makes us feel secure and safe. We begin to feel independent of others, of the government and eventually of God. It is in this time of self sufficiency that we tighten our grip on the things we love most.
That brings me to a story I'd like to share. It was a summer night and we were at church in our home town of Memphis Tennessee in 1966. The service had been over for some time and my parents were busy, as usual talking outside the church with friends. Being a normal five year old, I grew bored and was looking around for something to climb when I saw some bricks sticking out of the corner of the building. As I made my way closer, I realized that every other brick stuck out just enough to get the front of my shoe onto it and they were like that all the way up the two story building. That was an invitation if I had ever seen one and I felt very confident I could handle it with no problem. I was thinking how I could tell my three brothers how far I had gone up that wall and have the only bragging rights to this feat! Little did I know that I wouldn't be bragging at all when it was the feat had finally ended.
I began to inch my way up, higher and higher until I had reached the height of the windows an then the tops of the windows and eventually getting up to the second floor level. That is when it suddenly occurred to me that I had no way out of this situation but to climb back down! I had seen the balcony rail at the second floor and in my mind I knew I could reach this rail once I had made it to that level, but now that I was up here, it was allot further over than it looked from the ground. Besides all of that, I had found myself gripping those brick ledges so hard that I couldn't even get my fingers to loosen up enough to move my hands. I had frozen with the realization of my desperate state of mind. I was trapped by circumstances that wouldn't change to accommodate my despair and fear. The only thing changing at this point was my realization of how things really were at the second floor elevation of this building while holding onto those little ledges of brick that had seemed so secure at the bottom when I first began to climb. So what would you have done if you had been in my shoes? Your right! That's exactly what I did!
I looked down at my dad over in the parking lot and I whispered for him to come help me. You know better than that! I hollered, "Dad!", knowing the embarrassment I would feel when everyone saw me up there and stuck. At this point, it didn't matter though. I was trapped and I was going to eventually loose my grip and fall to my death if I didn't get help quick! Guess what? My father couldn't hear me because he was so far away, so I yelled again, "Dad, help me!" and I saw him looking around. The problem was that he never expected me to be up here. Then I yelled a third time, "DAD, UP HERE!!!" and he looked up and the look on his face described exactly how I felt at that moment. It was a look of total panic and fear, but he regained his composure and told me to climb down to him. I reluctantly told him I couldn't or I would fall and that's when he told me to do something against ever bit of my nature as a young boy. My father told me to let go and he said he would catch me. I thought he had lost his mind, but at the same time, I knew it was my only chance. After his coaxing me on for a few minutes and my mother almost passing out on the lawn(I remember that actually being kind of humorous to me at that moment), he told me to just close my eyes and let go and he assured me that he would catch me.
It was at that moment that I grew to new heights in my ability to trust. I closed my eyes and imagined that my dad was standing just a few feet below me instead of 18 feet below in reality and I took a deep breath; relaxed and said,"OK" as I let go of those brick; never doubting for a moment that my dad would let me down. The next thing I realized was that I landed in his arms and I got the biggest hug that I have ever gotten from my dad. You may think it is amazing that I still can remember all of that from such a young age, but I can tell you first hand that it is moments like these when our father rescues us from destruction that we will always remember and can share to encourage others. Not to encourage children to climb walls like I did, but rather to encourage people who need to let go and trust someone who will not let them down.
Maybe you have climbed your way to the top or as high as you can go as a career man or woman, as a house wife, a man or woman in the ministry or even as a community leader or politician, and you have found yourself in these unstable times clutching to everything that you have in your possession in total desperation.
I would like for you to remember one thing today.
We have a Father that has promised to never forsake us, no matter what we are going through in our life. It is in the time of despair and fear that we can rest assured that he will carry us through the circumstances. Are you living of fear for what tomorrow may bring? Do you have too much to carry on your own? Are things not what they seemed at the bottom when you first started out?
Don't loose hope!
That brings me to a story I'd like to share. It was a summer night and we were at church in our home town of Memphis Tennessee in 1966. The service had been over for some time and my parents were busy, as usual talking outside the church with friends. Being a normal five year old, I grew bored and was looking around for something to climb when I saw some bricks sticking out of the corner of the building. As I made my way closer, I realized that every other brick stuck out just enough to get the front of my shoe onto it and they were like that all the way up the two story building. That was an invitation if I had ever seen one and I felt very confident I could handle it with no problem. I was thinking how I could tell my three brothers how far I had gone up that wall and have the only bragging rights to this feat! Little did I know that I wouldn't be bragging at all when it was the feat had finally ended.
I began to inch my way up, higher and higher until I had reached the height of the windows an then the tops of the windows and eventually getting up to the second floor level. That is when it suddenly occurred to me that I had no way out of this situation but to climb back down! I had seen the balcony rail at the second floor and in my mind I knew I could reach this rail once I had made it to that level, but now that I was up here, it was allot further over than it looked from the ground. Besides all of that, I had found myself gripping those brick ledges so hard that I couldn't even get my fingers to loosen up enough to move my hands. I had frozen with the realization of my desperate state of mind. I was trapped by circumstances that wouldn't change to accommodate my despair and fear. The only thing changing at this point was my realization of how things really were at the second floor elevation of this building while holding onto those little ledges of brick that had seemed so secure at the bottom when I first began to climb. So what would you have done if you had been in my shoes? Your right! That's exactly what I did!
I looked down at my dad over in the parking lot and I whispered for him to come help me. You know better than that! I hollered, "Dad!", knowing the embarrassment I would feel when everyone saw me up there and stuck. At this point, it didn't matter though. I was trapped and I was going to eventually loose my grip and fall to my death if I didn't get help quick! Guess what? My father couldn't hear me because he was so far away, so I yelled again, "Dad, help me!" and I saw him looking around. The problem was that he never expected me to be up here. Then I yelled a third time, "DAD, UP HERE!!!" and he looked up and the look on his face described exactly how I felt at that moment. It was a look of total panic and fear, but he regained his composure and told me to climb down to him. I reluctantly told him I couldn't or I would fall and that's when he told me to do something against ever bit of my nature as a young boy. My father told me to let go and he said he would catch me. I thought he had lost his mind, but at the same time, I knew it was my only chance. After his coaxing me on for a few minutes and my mother almost passing out on the lawn(I remember that actually being kind of humorous to me at that moment), he told me to just close my eyes and let go and he assured me that he would catch me.
It was at that moment that I grew to new heights in my ability to trust. I closed my eyes and imagined that my dad was standing just a few feet below me instead of 18 feet below in reality and I took a deep breath; relaxed and said,"OK" as I let go of those brick; never doubting for a moment that my dad would let me down. The next thing I realized was that I landed in his arms and I got the biggest hug that I have ever gotten from my dad. You may think it is amazing that I still can remember all of that from such a young age, but I can tell you first hand that it is moments like these when our father rescues us from destruction that we will always remember and can share to encourage others. Not to encourage children to climb walls like I did, but rather to encourage people who need to let go and trust someone who will not let them down.
Maybe you have climbed your way to the top or as high as you can go as a career man or woman, as a house wife, a man or woman in the ministry or even as a community leader or politician, and you have found yourself in these unstable times clutching to everything that you have in your possession in total desperation.
I would like for you to remember one thing today.
We have a Father that has promised to never forsake us, no matter what we are going through in our life. It is in the time of despair and fear that we can rest assured that he will carry us through the circumstances. Are you living of fear for what tomorrow may bring? Do you have too much to carry on your own? Are things not what they seemed at the bottom when you first started out?
Don't loose hope!
Close your eyes right now and take a deep breath and release whatever you are holding onto and allow your LORD; your heavenly Father, to rescue you from the danger and destruction of the fearful moments in your life. You can depend on Him for His Word is true!
Psalm 9:7-10
9 But the LORD will endure for ever: he has prepared his throne for judgment.
8 And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.
9 The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.
10 And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for you, LORD, have not forsaken them that seek you.
Psalm 9:7-10
9 But the LORD will endure for ever: he has prepared his throne for judgment.
8 And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.
9 The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.
10 And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for you, LORD, have not forsaken them that seek you.
"Let Go and Let God!" You'll see what God can do when you loosen your grip.
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