Hang In or Let Go? Do Both!! :)
 

There are times when we are going through something and we hear people telling us to hang on, and others say, let go of it. Although these two things are opposite, and can bring much confusion as to what one is suppose to do, they have true meaning. To become strong in the broken places in our lives demands that we somehow dig up the courage (Hang on) to keep going long enough until this very courage allows us to scoop up the broken pieces of our lives and lay them all (let go) at the feet of the One who would do more in us than just get us through the storm.


2 Corinthians 12:9 ~~ And He said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness, Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

What a hilarious sight I witnessed many times in my home church and also at many Church camp meetings. Have you ever watched some of the at the altar moments? I found myself fighting back the tears from great laughter that I tried so hard to contain. Have you ever witnessed a new believer at the altar, seeking God: or what the Pentecostals call, praying through to the Holy Ghost?

Picture this: From the left, one shouts, Hang in there! Don't give up! From somewhere else, shouts come like, Just let go! Don't hold on to anything! I chuckle as I envision this in my mind, thinking how confused this new believer must be by now. Confusion invading the mind; questions racing through their head. I am sure they felt like screaming back, Well, which is it? Am I suppose to hang on or let go? Let me share this story:

A man named Jack was walking along a steep cliff one day when he accidentally got too close to the edge and fell. On the way down he grabbed a branch, which temporarily stopped his fall. He looked down and to his horror saw that the canyon fell straight down for more than a thousand feet. He couldn't hang onto the branch forever, and there was no way for him to climb up the steep wall of the cliff. So Jack began yelling for help, hoping that someone passing by would hear him and lower a rope or something.


"HELP! HELP! Is anyone up there? HELP!" He yelled for hours, but no one heard him. He was about to give up when he heard a voice. "Jack, Jack. Can you hear me?" "Yes, yes! I can hear you. I'm down here!" "I can see you, Jack. Are you all right?" "Yes, but . . . Who are you, and where are you?" "I am the Lord, Jack. I'm everywhere." "The Lord? You mean, GOD?" "That's Me." "God, please help me! I promise if You'll get me down from here, I'll stop sinning. I'll be a really good person. I'll serve You for the rest of my life." "Easy on the promises, Jack. Let's just get you down from there; then we can talk. Now, here's what I want you to do. Listen carefully." "I'll do anything, Lord. Just tell me what to do." "Okay. Let go of the branch." "What?" "I said, let go of the branch.. Just trust Me. Let go." There was a long silence. Finally Jack yelled, "HELP! HELP! IS ANYONE ELSE UP THERE?"

Have you ever felt like Jack? We say that we want to know the will of God, but when we find out what it is, we can't handle it. It sounds too scary, too difficult. We decide to look elsewhere. When He says, "Let go of the things that stand between you and Me, and trust Me with your life," it sounds pretty scary. But when we let go, we find freedom and safety in His hands."

To become strong in the broken places in our lives demands that we do two things, seeming opposites: hang in there, and let go. To somehow dig up the courage to keep going is the very courage that allows us to scoop up the broken pieces of our lives and lay them all at the feet of the One who would do more in us than just get us through the storm.

As James Means said, he would take the fire that blackens our horizons and warm our souls with it. He would sharpen our vision in the darkness that oppresses us. He would use the despair of standing at a grave to deepen our trust. This we cannot do for ourselves.

Perhaps because our brokenness brings us to the end of ourselves, it is here, in these jars of clay that we offer up to his very special grace, that Gods all-surpassing power is made known and he, indeed, makes us strong in our broken places. Verdell Davis

So what is one to do? Hang on or let go? Figured it out yet? Is it possible that we should do both? Think about it. Jacks need was to hang on long enough to muster up enough courage to let go. Thus, the same for us. When we are going through a bad situation, we need to never give up, but hang on long enough to muster up the courage to let go of everything that stands in the way of trust; our trust in God.

Ps 36:7 How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.

Very Good Felicity!

Excellent post, Felicity...!!

The altar service expereince of "hang on...let go..." came to my mind as soon as I read the title of this thread. :heeheehee

Who would have imagined that the answer is to do both...:highfive

That was my first thought as well! ;)

Very good Felicity!

Dittos.

Excellent post...One must hold on to Jesus and let go of the past.

Blessings, Rhoni

I don't agree that we have to let go of the past. We have to deal with hurtful things if they happened in our past and deal with them the RIGHT way.

I don't want to forget my past. The past defines who I am, what I've learned, the wisdom and experience I've gained. There are so many precious and wonderful memories that I cherish I want to hold onto. And when I reflect on the unpleasant things that have happened I gain perspective as time moves on and see them in new and different ways.

Just my thoughts anyway. :)

I guess I should have said it better...Forget the hurts of the past and see the scars where the healing has happened!

Blessings, Rhoni

Thank you for this...

You're welcome all. :)

Again I have to disagree. :) I can be such a disagreeable person, eh? LOL!

I don't believe that we need to forget the hurts of the past. I believe there is great value in looking back and reviewing those hurts and finding truth, understanding, and wisdom as a result of doing so.

My husband and I went to see a movie a few weeks back. It was excellent and towards the end there was a statement made by one actor to another that caused me to dissolve in tears. He was expressing exactly the way I have felt at times in the past regarding my own personal life. His words opened up a flood of emotion and I was taken back several years to some very difficult situations and the hurt that it created for me personally.

That revealed to me that still .... after almost 10 years I still have sensitive spots left. I'm not sure I ever want that sensitivity to go away because it's proof to me of the love and relationship I had with some people and that even though that was affected by decisions and actions on both parts I still care. And I believe they do too.

Thing is, we can't allow those things to hinder our progress in God. We have to keep moving ahead. That's what Paul meant I believe by forgetting that which was behind and moving forward. That's why it's so important to "deal" with things and resolve things in our own mind. But to forget? I see no need.

Memory is a precious and wonderful thing.

Good post...again this is a big help to me, sis...:highfive

:tiphat

I'm a little surprised more people haven't chimed in here since this is something that we ALL can relate to for sure.

Felicity, I think I will use this for Sunday, if you don't mind! Great post sis!

Through the years our memories get distorted. I thank God that He rewrites our past so that we can use the hurts and disillusionment to make us into useful vessels in our todays.

Blessings, Rhoni

I think that Paul's message to us was as literal as stated...we must forget those things which are behind and press forward.... Just because something illicits feelings in us does not make it a 'truth'.

I do agree that we need to deal with issues that keep us weighted down. Healing can only occur if we open the wound and let the sweet balm of Gilead cleanse out the hurt, the anger, the resentment, the bitterness, and the despair.

Once the issue is dealt with then we can truly leave it in the past. For some of us it takes longer than others. Many times we hold on to things we say that we give to God. We nurse our wounds and keep them fresh. It is when we are able to truly allow God the control...after all...most things are about control, that we can truly "forget".

It is very difficult for some to admit that a counselor might know some things;)! That's all right...One of the names/titles of Jesus Christ is...The Wonderful Counselor. He knows just where the hurt is and opens it up when we least expect it so that we can't deny and hide it any longer. He opens it up so healing can occur.


Blessings, Rhoni

Nevertheless, it has come at just the right time in my life, sis...I am most appreciative to the Lord who knows what things we have need of, and to you for being a vessel.:)

Felicity, did you write this to speak to your ladies?

No, I didn't.

Even Paul drew on and referred to things that happened in his past in his epistles and testimony.

I'm sure as time goes on and I get older that I will draw time and time again on past experiences .... pleasant or unpleasant .... in order to minister to others. I also believe that having dealt with with those things in the right way ... and then with the passage of time bringing perspective and revelation and inspiration in regard to those experiences will be even more impacting, instructive, helpful and beneficial.

I've read that a person should allow a space of a number of years before sharing past experiences with an audience (like writing a book for example) because when they are fresh and new you simply don't have the depth of understanding or perception that you really need to be able to share what happened in an objective or at least more objective and realistic way. I agree with this.

I suppose that's what is meant by hindsight...we always can see the full picture when it's a ways behind us than when we're right up on it.

Felicity,

I agree about the book thing. I began a book in 2001 and I had an English professor who was the principal of a school [spirit-filled] to read, critique, and edit. She looked at it and then asked my thoughts about the book.

It was obvious to me that I could not write it without hurts, bitterness, and even obvious bias. I put it aside for after the healing had taken place.

It is just now that I have begun writing again and this time it has a different tone/flavor. The name for the book God gave me while in prayer last week. It is time...

Blessings, Rhoni

This is true! It is difficult for friends to give advice or encouragement because it would be pushing. One of the most difficult lessons I had to learn as a counselor was not to push or pull my clients, but to walk beside them as they found their own way.

Blessings, Rhoni

Sometimes you don't feel like hanging in or letting go...

I understand that. This too will pass.

Hindsight is what you get when you accidentally swallow your contact lense.

Said the dog that swallowed the thumbtack.:bubble

Well, when the time is right, this would be good to share with them.

LOL! Haven't heard that one before. :heeheehee

LOL! Never heard that one before.

Times and seasons .... they come and they go. :)

Only if you re-use it after you find it again...

Uh oh....... RG Craig is speaking gobble-dy-gook again.

Last night when I signed in I couldn't figure out what was going on. I guess somebody (wonder who it could be .... hmmm ... a name that starts with B and ends in M comes to mind ;)) has found some new toy to play with.

I know - - freaked me out.

I suppose I have shared bits and pieces here and there. I know this ..... if it wasn't for some of the things that happened and that I experienced personally several years back pastoring at this time and in this place would be much more stressful and difficult than it's been.

Not everything that happens is good but even the unpleasant situations we face in life - pressure, stress, getting to the end of our ropes so to speak - certainly prepares us for more difficult assignments down the road and the experience is invaluable. Things that might have thrown me 7 or 8 years ago don't faze me much now at all .... just a blip on the radar screen. :)

Sometimes I wonder if I'm becoming too dispassionate but I don't think so. :)

No, it's not dispassionate, but maturing. The things that minister to others that you have experienced yourself will kick in when needed as reference.

Your experience are like a file cabinet - some you may never need to open the file again, but some you might open from time to time and some you never file away because you need to reference them all the time!