L-I-F-E

- March 28, 2015

Welcome!

Friends, this is something new. I'm going to post a 4-week "study" that is going to focus on our hearts. Each week, I will have a blog post using the acronym L-I-F-E, and throughout the week, my hope is that you (and me) will focus on the Bible verses given (maybe even try to memorize one a week), journal your thoughts, observe how you react to things, and apply what He is teaching you.

I pray that Jesus does a mighty work on our hearts and that we walk in obedience with Him.

Week 1

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” ~Jesus (John 10:10 NIV)

L. Let Go & Let God

Sitting on the kitchen counter my husband (then boyfriend) says to me, “You have to let go and let God.” What? What does that mean? This was what I was thinking…how do you let go and let God? How am I supposed to do that when I am in the situation and I need to fix it? That’s a whole lot of “I’s” but 20+ years ago I didn’t know that my problems weren’t something I needed to fix on my own. I didn’t know that I could go to Him for help. I didn’t know that I could leave my sin at the foot of the cross. Fast forward to now…in my 40s and I’m just starting to learn how to “let go and let God.”

Don’t get me wrong, I will hold on – white knuckle – take control first before going to God. Why? Why is it that I create the extra stress before going to the One who says, “Come to Me.”?

So how do we let go and let God? What I have learned so far is that we have to pray and talk to Him about the situation. Bring it to Him and ask Him to help. So first, we pray.

Next, we need to open up His Word. This is how He talks to us. By reading God’s Word it will give you guidance and clarity. Wisdom and hope. It will comfort you and strengthen your faith. I suggest reading Matthew 11: 25-30.

We have a choice to leave our problems and worries at His feet – or to pick up that baggage and lug it around with us all day long. We can drag it with us to the workplace, school, in our homes and allow it to bring us down, cause us to fear and worry, become snappy with those we love. Or - we can choose to believe and trust what He says to us in His Word. This is how He begins to shape us and our hearts.

He doesn’t want it weighing us down. He is love. He is faithful. He is good…always.

Let it go and Let God take it. He’s big enough to handle it.

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This week ask God to help you drop the weight of whatever is weighing you down. He says in Matthew 11:30, “For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Begin your prayer with, “God, You say that Your yoke is easy and that Your burden is light….

Commit to memorizing John 10:10: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

Keep a journal handy. Every day, at the end of the day, do this activity: Roses and Thorns. Find a rose (something good) from your day and then a thorn (something not so good) – write them out. You may begin to see more roses than thorns - the point of this activity is to allow you to see the blessings in your day and how God is working in you.