Letting Go

Some friends and I were talking on the phone today. My friend shared a story of how when she was 5, she took piano lessons. Instead of reading the music from the music sheet as she played it, she would count from the middle C on the music and figure out what each note was, and then she would memorize it. If she couldn't figure it out, she would ask her sister to play the song and she would watch her sister's fingers and memorize it that way.

Her teacher and family thought that she was reading the music, but really, she was doing it the hard way - playing through it enough that she had it memorized and then she wouldn't have to learn to read the music. When she was in lessons one day her teacher wanted her to play a note off the music and it was revealed that she couldn't read music.

This story led us to talk about how, as humans, we often do something similar without realizing it. My friend was playing piano the hard way, but she thought she was making it easier on herself. We often try to take life into our own hands because we think that it will be easier to manage our own life than letting God do it.

The funny thing is, when we try to take over, it's so much harder for us! We worry, we plan, we frustrate, and we think everything needs to be just right. If we were just to let go, to let God, our worries and frustrations would disappear! And the end result in life would be so much better if God was the one planning it!

There is a song by Tenth Avenue North that applies to this called Let It Go. The chorus says:

"You say let it go. You say let it go. You say life is waiting for the ones who lose control. You say you will be everything I need. You say if I lose my life it's then I'll find my soul. You say let it go."

And there are SO MANY verses in the Bible about this. To list a few:

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (NIV)

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (NLT)

Psalm 32:8 “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.” (NIV)

Psalm 118:8 “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.”

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and lean not upon your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct your path.” (~ KJV Ad)

Proverbs 16:9 “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” (NIV)