Out growing the familiar

Hey guys, this kind of hit me as I got off of work tonight. As talked about in the last post, We have allowed God to mold us, take control of our situations, and depended on Him to be our source and not another. Well, as all things do, they must come to an end. I was hoping that this article would not contradict the previous, but like growing, stages are reached. You have to know when to hold on and when to let go. I realized that this in itself isn't the problem. We know how to cut lose and we know when to hold out for something. The issue is the order and timing of what we know how to do oh so well. This article will touch on letting go...

When I was younger, I loved to ride my shiny red huffy (yes, huffy), bike. It was my prized possession! After riding around the world and back again over time, It was time to make some changes. I knew it was time to take my training wheels off my bike because I knew good and well I could ride with two wheels, hey, even with no hands! (yea, I'm sweet...) But, when the time came for my dad to take off my training wheels, I was really hesitant. I mean for what! They were there when I first started to ride my bike. They were with me when I fell down. They were with me where I explored the strange terrain I called the whole wide world... or maybe just my street corner and back. But hey, they were there with me for the entire ride. Why would I want to let them go now, when everything in me finds comfort in them being by my side, even if their purpose has been fulfilled??...

I liken this to 1 cor 13:11. "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things." This scripture talks about growth in more ways then one. It hits on natural growth and how after a certain time has elapsed, a young man should now be moving in to the office of a Man, and eventually the priest of his own house. I can't as a man, possibly lead my children, my wife as head of the household when I am still holding on to things that served their purpose in times past. Not only and I immature in my thinking, but also in my decision making. I am now delaying my spiritual growth for my children, my wife and myself due to my inability to let go of the familiar! In fact, holding on to certain things can cause spiritual death! Naturally, I like chicken salads. I like mixing all kinds of fruit and other stuff into it, grilling up some chicken, ya know the works. But after a few weeks of that unused salad sitting in the fridge not only does it begin to wilt, but it begins to rot. It's now affecting everything in its vicinity and now everything is spoiled; all because I haven't let go of something that I really liked. This is regardless of all the signs that pointed to letting it go! Now everything has to be discarded. Me not acting soon enough not only contaminated what i really liked, but now other things are affected by me holding out when it was simply time to let go. My negligence to get rid of the source of contamination, has now lead to all surrounding things to become bitter, bland, and dead. But I'm still holding on...

Look at Ananais and Sapphira, Acts 5:1-11. They were willing to sell their goods. Sure, even give some of the money to the rest of the church, but what did they do? They withheld part of the price. This little area of disobedience and lack faith, literally caused God to kill them both. The reality is that God killed them both for holding back the things they were not willing to let go.

What areas of our lives are we not allowing God complete control over? Am I like a child not willing to part with something that has well passed it prime and purpose in my life? Or am I like Ananais and Sapphira, compromising. Picking and choosing what I deem is necessary for me to give up and to keep. Telling God His word doesn't completely apply to me because there is no way He would want me to give that up. No way! Right? The word says, "There is a way that seemeth right to a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death". Prov 14:12. The last thing I want to hear my God say to me is that yes, you are filled with my spirit, yes, you've done many miracles in my name, and yes, you won many souls for my kingdom. But, out of everything you've done for me and given me, the one thing I desired from you and required, is the one thing you just would never relinquish. Your will. God wants us to be his hands and feet here on the earth. He desires for us to give up ourselves for Him. That's why we are a LIVING sacrifice! Offering our life, will, and ways unto God so he may LEAD us into a more perfect way.

Don't let your inability to let go, cause for a inability to see God's face in peace.
I hope this encourages us all to let go, and simply let God.

Be Blessed...