I've just returned from a 10 day trip to Central Asia, where life is quite different than anything I have ever experienced. The cultural differences are so extreme that it has really taken me a few days to get back into "American mode," which is surprising, because I imagined that going to Central Asia would be much more difficult than leaving Central Asia. Strangely, that wasn't the case for me. Why not? I've thought about this a lot, and I think the experience of a different culture has helped me to see things more simply and learn to let go of the rest....the rest that often stands in the way of the sweeter, more precious, and more importantly.... ETERNAL things of life.
This morning, I was reading this in my devotional about letting go: "In order to let go of something that is precious to you, you need to rest in My Presence, where you are complete." I began to think of things that I am guilty of clinging to, as a human on planet Earth, as an American, as a woman, as a wife and as a mom. Even as a pastor's wife, I am all too familiar with the insecurities that can so easily arise with the critiques others feel so freely to share. :) It's sometimes hard to have so many different opinions of who you should be, what you should do, where you should go, and how you should live everywhere you turn, and living in the glass house of ministry tends to magnify the pressure at times. As I asked the Lord to assess this for me, I wrote in my journal this morning, "Lord, what do I need to still let go of?" Before going to Central Asia, I really felt I had surrendered a lot to the Lord, and I had. God has been doing a work in me the past year, and He has changed me in some huge ways-glory to His Name! Yet, as I pondered this question after my trip, I realize I still find myself *tempted* to fall back into the false comforts of clinging to the things that don't matter. To walk back into America where lifestyles, discussions, and yes, even churches can be so self focused, rather than focusing on what really matters in light of eternity. I have seen how difficult it can be to let go of things and people in our American culture. Why? Because there's so much more here to attach ourselves to. It's just so "comfortable" and we are so spoiled and self-focused. I have returned with such an appreciation for where I live and the freedoms I have, but also a hesitancy. If what God has done in me is going to remain, I will need to cling to only Him constantly. Not just sometimes, but ALL the time. I don't want to cling to the things of this culture or this world. It's so futile, and I've never seen this more clearly than the past few weeks! My prayer is that God would help me to be intentional to live only clinging to HIM as my security!
As I think of things that we as women often cling to some things that come to mind are: approval, acceptance, spouses, our children, control, possessions....the list could go on and on. As you look at these things, all of them change constantly. You might get someone's approval one day, and not another day. You might have a best friend one day and be betrayed the next. You might feel secure when your kids are obedient, but what about when they rebel? You might feel certain when everything is going your way, but what about the sudden death or the job loss or the sickness that is completely out of your control? Control as we know it only produces insecurities galore because there's absolutely no certainty there. But Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He never ever changes! Therefore, we can safely and SECURELY release all of these things we often "white knuckle" to Him, even our most precious ones. (Yes, moms, that means our children.) :) Today's devotion also says, "As you release more and more things into My care, remember that I never let go of your hand. Herein lies your security, which no one and no circumstance can take from you." Just the knowledge of that brings security....think of what the reality of it could bring to us women!
What do you need to release today? The most precious of things are not kept because we hold tightly to them. They are kept most securely when we release them into God's capable hands. The same God that created the entire universe. The same God Who used those hands to create you and I. His hands are our safest and strongest security.
"I will hide you in the crevice of the rock and cover you with my hand..." Ex. 33:22
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