Letting Go … with a Clenched Fist

One of my favorite times with our oldest grandson was when he was 2½ years old, and came to me, reaching up to be held. No matter what I was doing, reaching down and picking him up was the priority, even if it was just for a hug or to get another drink out of the frig, before he went on his busy way. The warm feeling that brought was insatiable because I wanted him to know how much I loved him and how eager I was to show it, by helping him or just loving on him! I imagine that’s what God waits for us to do—just come to Him, putting our phones, computers, cars, schedules, and tablets down—and let Him meet our needs and our cries for help; then He watches us go our busy way. He is eager to show us how much He loves us, especially when our circumstances are spinning “normal” right out the window! But it cannot happen if we don’t come to Him, and that is sometimes the last thing we do. For some reason, it seems to be part of our normal to try to fix whatever is going on around us, in us, or in someone we know. So, we cling, fists tightly clenched, to our very human, very fallible agenda, believing we just somehow know better than the One who “knit me together in my mother’s womb” (Psalm 139:13 NIV). It’s as bizarre as my grandson thinking he knew more than Grandma about what he really needed. He may have wanted a cookie, but I knew that what he needed was some fruit and a good nap, whether he agreed or not! There were also times when he let me know in no uncertain way that he did not want me to help him do something. His little forefinger pointed at me, while he said “No, no, no, Gamma—me do it!” Then, when the toy didn’t work, or he couldn’t open something,or he couldn’t get that one piece of food on his fork, he finally looked at me and said, “Gamma do it?”

We are like that with God—finally admitting that letting go means asking Him for help, with our exasperated prayers of “Lord, please handle this. I finally realize that I can’t!” For us type A do-it-yourselfers, this admission is not easy. In fact, the words almost make us choke, because we have somehow equated asking God for help with weakness or failure. Or perhaps in certain circles, even Christian ones, we have been fed the lie of “God doesn’t give you more than you can handle.” I beg to differ! The Bible is full of stories of people going through way more than they can handle, and for that reason, falling on their knees or faces, begging God to rescue, forgive, or protect them, acknowledging the need for a perfect, all-loving, all-knowing Savior who can be trusted to handle it all! In fact, that’s why Jesus had to be sent to this imperfect world to die for us imperfect, sinful humans, because we couldn’t ever “get it right” without Him and the sacrifice of His life. We couldn’t “handle” our own ability to follow a holy and perfect God, without a holy and perfect Savior.

Maybe you can relate, and maybe you are, or have been, going through a time of change that seems foreign to everything you know as being “normal.” I want to encourage you that God has got this! Nothing takes Him by surprise, and He loves you right in the middle of the mess! He is

waiting for you to walk, run, or crawl to Him, and is ready to scoop you up when you reach for Him. But He cannot do it until you let go of what you’re clinging so tightly to. Nothing you are clinging to is as great as His love for you, and nothing is worth telling Him, “No, no, no,” because His

love and care for you are immeasurable. It doesn’t matter how angry you

are, how rebellious you are, how hurt you are, or how confused you are. Once you let go and hold onto Him, the new normal you will experience will include grace, peace, forgiveness, and healing. And that is worth holding on to! I continue to learn this lesson, because of finding out that

letting go is a journey and a process and seems to be the theme of my life! After more than fifty years of being a Jesus follower, I’m still finding out that letting go of my tight grip on my plans, my relationships, my pain and disappointments, and even my own health, means gripping the hand

of God and trusting Him to “do it,” just like my little grandson trusted me. And as hard as the journey is at times, it always works out so much better when I quit clenching my fist and just relax in His grip!