Letting Go and Letting God

You Never Know Until You Try.

Like many people in my area, I've recently been felled by a respiratory bug. Despite a trusty standby antibiotic that usually gets rid of anything that plagues me, I've been fighting "the crud" since January 7. I'm better, but I've still got a long way to go. At least it feels that way. I hope this will be one of those times that the glorious dawn breaks suddenly, wiping away all vestiges of the proverbial dark, stormy night.

As you can imagine, I've put a lot of things on hold, spending most of my time just trying to survive. I've had to put my job search on hold for the most part, relying on the recent footwork I've done to bear fruit. It looks like it may do just that; I'm cautiously optimistic.

During my many hours in bed, some actually awake, I've thought a lot about the fact that I'm having no choice but to put into practice the old adage "Let go and let God." There's nothing like being physically sick and unable to "do (my) part" to remind me that it's really God who makes things happen. He just allows me to do my part--what He's instructed me to do, and hopefully nothing more. He's the real "mover and shaker," not me.

Problems arise when I try to push things in the wrong direction or move too fast or lag behind. Fortunately, He's gracious enough to gently correct my course if I let Him, and He uses all kinds of things to do it. Since everything works together for good if we love Him, that means even sickness. I've been so freaked out lately, about so many things, that I've been praying hard for peace. I'm not saying that He allowed me to get "the crud" to give me peace, taking my mind off my financial and professional situation, but I'm not ruling it out, either, because while I've been extremely uncomfortable, I've also slept a lot and dreamed a lot. Sure, I've thought about the financial and professional issues, but they haven't consumed me--wanting to feel human again has. I've prayed about the job situation, but I've really prayed to recover physically.

I've taken my medicines, slept, eaten, and stayed hydrated. Very basic stuff. I haven'f felt like agonizing mentally about how sick I've been. In short, in a weird way, I've had peace. Maybe it's the peace I've prayed for. I've known for a long time that God really does answer prayers in ways we don't expect.

My refresher lesson in this is that I need periodic reminders to "Let go and let God." I hope I don't need another reminder for a very long time.

Happy New Year!

You Never Know Until You Try.

I pray 2011 is better for us all than 2010 was and encourage everyone to forget what is behind and press on to what is ahead! Yes, I'm preaching to myself most of all here! Here's my sermon for Jacline: Forget the bad of last year and don't let it hinder my faith this year, and don't rest on my laurels from last year, but strive to be the best I can be this year.