A few days ago, I heard something that troubled me. It involved someone close to me who was taking a financial risk that seemed both ill advised and unnecessary. Despite proposing alternate ideas to the person, I failed to convince them. Of course, I thought that I was right, but I decided that I would say nothing to anyone about it. If you’ve ever tried doing this, then you can predict what happened. Eventually, I told someone else. Immediately I regretted it.
As I talked to the Lord about it, He helped me understand that I was relying entirely on self control. My self-control may last for a few days or months, but as long as I'm holding something in, it naturally wants to come out. Plus, if I think that I’m right about something, I also naturally want confirmation from someone else. (I’m not proud of that, but I’m also being honest.)
When I began to follow Jesus, one of the first things I learned was to give Him everything—all of my sins, problems, joys, worries, ideas, plans, work—literally everything in my life. And of course, I should have given Him my concern about this situation as well.
What’s more, I’ve learned that can’t obey the Lord’s commands under my own power. Obedience is beyond our natural ability. Thus I can truly obey only through His power.
I gave the concern to the Lord. And now, instead of holding in situations that bother me, I give them to the Lord. And to remind me about this lesson, I created, or the Lord gave me, a two-sentence summary that is easy to remember. I share it here hoping that it will be useful to you as well.
Whatever you hold in naturally wants to come out.
But whatever you give to the Lord is gone for good.
As I talked to the Lord about it, He helped me understand that I was relying entirely on self control. My self-control may last for a few days or months, but as long as I'm holding something in, it naturally wants to come out. Plus, if I think that I’m right about something, I also naturally want confirmation from someone else. (I’m not proud of that, but I’m also being honest.)
When I began to follow Jesus, one of the first things I learned was to give Him everything—all of my sins, problems, joys, worries, ideas, plans, work—literally everything in my life. And of course, I should have given Him my concern about this situation as well.
What’s more, I’ve learned that can’t obey the Lord’s commands under my own power. Obedience is beyond our natural ability. Thus I can truly obey only through His power.
I gave the concern to the Lord. And now, instead of holding in situations that bother me, I give them to the Lord. And to remind me about this lesson, I created, or the Lord gave me, a two-sentence summary that is easy to remember. I share it here hoping that it will be useful to you as well.
Whatever you hold in naturally wants to come out.
But whatever you give to the Lord is gone for good.
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