Learning to Let Go

She was a woman like many of us, she had a home to care for, a husband, children and friends. The world around her was wicked and she and her family had grown accustomed to it. This was her home, her comfortable place.

Then one day, all that changed. She learned of God's plan to destroy the city in which she lived. She never expected this day to come and it changed her life forever. She made one tragic mistake that day. She held onto what the Lord said to let go of.

The Bible tells us her story in Genesis 19:12-26. Two angels came to warn Lot and his family that God was going to destroy the city in which they lived. Verse 17 says "So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that he said, Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed." The KJV says "lest thou be consumed."

We see in verse 26 that she disobeyed and looked back for one more glance at her past or what could have been.

Jesus warns us to "Remember Lot's wife." (Luke 17:32) She was so consumed with her present life that she could not accept God's plans that were different from her own. Even though she was surrounded by wickedness, it was still her home and her heart was still there.
Where our treasure is, there our hearts will be also. Our treasure cannot be anything but Jesus. He truly is our greatest treasure. 

She looked back and she is still looking back. She was turned into a pillar of salt and frozen in that place. She is stuck there forever looking over the dead sea, a place where nothing can live. 

She missed out on what God had for her because she couldn't let go of life.  She wanted her life and her desires more than God's desires and His divine will. She trusted in what she thought was best instead of what God said was best. 

Does any of this relate to us? Have you ever tried walking forward while looking behind you? It's impossible, you're going to trip over something and fall flat on your face. So why do we do this? Why do we look back at things we can't change and go over the what ifs or what could have beens?

When our youngest son recently started walking, he would hold onto the coffee table until he got the courage to let go and walk. He would still be at that coffee table if he had not let go. It takes courage to let go! Letting go is trusting that Jesus will never let go of you and all that you entrust to Him.

If I'm holding onto the things in my past and even my present life then I cannot hold onto Jesus at the same time. We must let go of what we think is best and grab hold of what our Savior desires for our life. God's plan didn't make sense to Lot's wife and a lot of times God's ways won't make sense to us either. We can still trust that He is for us and He knows what is best for us. 

How sad that she missed out on a glorious future because she couldn't let go of the past and the right now. She looked back and she was consumed. We too are consumed when we look back. We get consumed with anger, fear, dread, confusion, and worry. That's not the abundant life that Jesus came to give us!

We can't get too comfortable in our own little world. We must be ready to obey our Master. Seasons change, yet our God does not. He. Is. Our. Constant. One. Would we be eager to follow wherever He leads or would we be stuck looking back because we're too comfortable with our lives? Will we too refuse to let go because we are consumed with fear of God's plans? We can trust Him! He makes us brave to say yes to Him!  I do not want to miss out on His plans because there is no safer place than right in the middle of God's will for my life. What is He asking you to let go of so you can move forward with Him?

There is freedom in surrender! So we can let go of worry, fear, past sin, past hurts, people pleasing, guilt, pride, and anything else that is keeping us from walking on with Jesus. We can truly obey His word and cast all our cares on Him because He cares for us.
Let's do like Jesus said and "Remember Lot's wife" and learn from her so we can let go and embrace Him and all the He desires for us. 

Spotlight or Beacon?

I recently learned that a lighthouse serves two purposes, to warn boats of dangerous areas and to serve as a navigational aid. The light of the lighthouse is called a beacon, this beacon acts as a guiding and warning signal.

As believers we are to be that beacon to others. A light that continually leads others to Jesus, but also lovingly warns them of the dangers of the enemy.

Sadly we are often seen as spotlights. The definition of a spotlight is: a lamp projecting a narrow, intense beam of light directly onto a place or person. Did you get that? "A narrow, intense beam directed at a person." Yes somehow Christians can become self righteous and feel they have a right to shine a spotlight of condemnation on others failures, mistakes, and sin. Oh how quickly we forget the mercy God has shown us. Why can't we show this same mercy to others? It is not our job to spotlight others in condemnation. The Holy Spirit lovingly pursues and convicts us and transforms us into a new creation.

We are to follow Christ and be that beacon that guides others to Him not away from Him.

I was in a dark struggle years ago and a wise friend told me "what's happening is not really what's going on" meaning God is doing more than we can imagine in our circumstances. We may not physically see it, but He is working out something beautiful.

My point is this, we don't know everyone's story. We don't know what kind of childhood the angry and grumpy man down the street had. We don't know the personal struggle that friend who has become distant is battling. We don't understand the disappointments the cold hearted lady at church has experienced. We don't see the pain behind the sarcastic and rude person. 

So if we don't know the whole story of another's life, how can we shine our condemnation spotlight on them? Instead let's be that beacon. Let's be the light that invites people out of their pain and darkness into the love of Jesus. Let's guide them to the One who does know their life story, who does understand their pain, who does desire to make beauty from ashes in their lives. Let's guide them to the One who will heal their heart and bind their wounds.

No one needs our spotlight shining into all their faults and sin. Deep down they already know they need something more and bigger than themselves. Our job is to love them and beckon them to come to Jesus. Let's be a beacon that shines in the darkness, because they are looking for the Light just like we were when we were lost in darkness.