Hang In There, And Let Go
To become strong in the broken places in our lives demands that we do two things, opposites: hang in there, and let go.
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.
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