Letting Go

Happy New Year!

I have heard from several people that Christmas break was too short and that the cold weather has made them just want to stay home and eat. I felt the same way and I did not get nearly as much done as I had intended.

What I did was sleep. A lot. I spent time with people I love, whether face to face or over the phone and Skype. I read two novels. And I stopped, again and again, to say: thank you. Thank you, God, for the people I love. Thank you that I have a warm and safe place to live. Thank you that I can work from home on a snow day and don’t have to risk my life out on the roads.

Of course I also thought about all those who did not have that! Who were flooded, or lost power, or had to sleep on the streets. Those who did have to go out on the road in treacherous conditions.

I also thought about where our church currently stands, and it is a difficult time for us, for many reasons. While we have a clear vision of who we want to be, we are not sure how to get there.

So I have been doing what I preached about the last two Sundays: Letting go. Letting go of my frustrations and disappointments. Letting go of expectations that I have for how other people should be. Letting go of some unrealistic expectations I had of myself.

And letting go of control:

I cannot help everyone who is less fortunate than I am.

I cannot save the world, or the church.

I can only do my best, every single day.

This morning I read a devotional based on 2 Peter 1:3. “God’s divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness.”

God has given us everything we need! The gifts, the strength, the humility. And the ability to let go.

Let go what we cannot control, and trust that God will take better care of it than we ever could.

All will be well. All will be well.

God will make sure of it.