Hold On! Let go.

If you ask those I know best to name two quirky things about me, among the things on their list would probably be:

She has way too many black shirts. (True)

And she is a little bit like a human jukebox

I just have a lot of music filed away in my brain.

Oftentimes when someone will say something, that comment will bring to mind a song lyric with the same words and, there it goes, ...spilling out of my mouth.

Music is a such an amazing gift to us- (but that could be a whole other blog)!

Anyway, I have been thinking about how this new experience is causing me to consider things I need to let go of.

So, when I woke up yesterday morning, this line from a Steven Curtis Chapman song called Miracle of the Moment, was in my head ...“It’s time for letting go..”

It continue to roll around in there throughout the morning and, being largely unfamiliar with the rest of the lyrics, I decided to look them up.

Here’s how it goes:

It's time for letting go

of all of our "if onlies"

Cause we don't have a time machine

And even if we did

Would we really want to use it?

Would we really want to go change everything?

Cause we are who and where and what we are for now

And this is the only moment we can do anything about

So breathe it in and breathe it out

And listen to your heartbeat

There's a wonder in the here and now

It's right there in front of you

And I don't want you to miss the miracle of the moment

There's only One who knows

What's really out there waiting

And all the moments yet to be

And all we need to know

Is He's out there waiting

To Him the future's history

And He has given us a treasure called “right now”

And this is the only moment we can do anything about

So breathe it in and breathe it out

And listen to your heartbeat

There's a wonder in the here and now

It's right there in front of you

And I don't want you to miss the miracle of the moment

And if it brings you tears

Then taste them as they fall

Let them soften your heart

And if it brings you laughter

Then throw your head back

And let it go

Let it go, yeah

You gotta let it go

Phew! Lots of truth there.

Later on in the day, I was listening to the radio and Toby Mac’s song “Hold on” began to play, reminding me:

If you can hold on, to the One that's holding you

there is nothing that can

stop this crazy love

from breaking through

Two different messages-”Let go!” and “hold on!”

Two opposite actions. But are they really?

Letting go of things that are a distraction, hindrance or simply unimportant in the big picture; actually helps us to hold onto those things that are of true value and aid us in our lifelong quest of Christlikeness.

Let’s take a look at some of the things that God in His love letter tells us to let go of
1.An Unforgiving Heart

Ephesians 4:31 says, “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.” These are attitudes and behaviors that exist when we want to hurt another person; usually because they have hurt us. God wants us to be free and unhindered from these spiritual artery cloggers, so HE can flow through us. Release the wrongs you have received into Jesus’ mighty, nail-scarred hands. 

2.Fear and Anxiety

The grip of fear does nothing but paralyze us and keep us from seeing His truth, ability and beauty. Many times throughout scripture, God tells His servants to “fear not”. He knows we’re prone to fear, but prying our fingers off of that choke collar of fear allows us to experience His provision and His presence. Freedom from fear unleashes the reality of His promises into our “here and now”.

“For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand,

Saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.” Isaiah 41:13

3. Guilt and Regret 

We all have things that we wish we would or wouldn't have done. You can’t change the past, but you can begin to sow seeds right now that will change your future. 

Carrying around the burden of past mistakes, (even if they were just a few minutes ago) is extra weight that crushes our joy, often driving us away from the very One who can and desires to lighten that load. Let’s turn to Him and let Him remove it, so we can run swiftly towards Jesus, our goal!

“Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” 

Phil.3:13-14

 What should we hold on to?

1.God’s Love. Hold on to the knowledge that Your Father loves you deeply. Let it penetrate your thoughts. Let it empower you to walk through difficulty. Let it bring clarity and definition to what’s really important in your life. Allow it to gently open your clenched fists, causing all that is holding you in it’s grip, fall to the ground.


2.Love for one another

It has been noted that the only things in our present world that will reman for eternity are God, His Word and people. Hold onto the relationships you have been blessed with. They are the treasure we can enjoy here and now in the miracle of the moment.

Yesterday I went to get my hair cut (letting go). One of the stylist that I have been acquainted with for a few years that works there asked me how I was doing. I had an unexpected burst of tears. I told her the basic bottom line info of my diagnosis and she told me that her family had been going through a lot lately too ( her husband was in a serious motor accident a few months back).

Then, she looked at me and said “you know, nothing really matters, material things, nothing. I just want to be healthy and hold my husband’s hand till I die.”

Me too.

Tonight is my brain MRI..

Please pray for smooooth gray matter and no more discoveries! Unless they find a song of praise or His wonderful Word engrained there!

Love you!