BY BRANDY DAVENPORT, CO-BLOGGER
Does trusting God sometimes feel like a challenge? I’ve often heard the saying, “let go and let God.” And I’ve always thought this was much easier said than done. The trouble for me is that having a firm grip on something helps me feel like I’m in control. But in reality, I’m not I control at all. God is behind the scenes orchestrating all things because all things belong to Him – and this includes my children.
I have experienced the hardship of letting go with my son. Diagnosed with type 1 at a tender age of three-and-a-half years old, I immediately became his number one caretaker. Since then, I have had many worries over the years with letting go when others need to step in and temporarily take my place.
WHY DID I STRUGGLE IN TRUSTING GOD?
His preschool, which had no formal training in diabetes management, was one of the first struggles for me. Then his elementary school nurse and playdates with his friends came up.
These times with him away from me have proven to be the hardest to deal with. I wonder how anyone else will do my job and keep him safe like I do. My son is very aware of his body now, at the age of eight, but he’s not quite old enough to fully care for himself. Because of that, I find myself saying no to things that he probably should be enjoying at his age. Baby steps, I tell myself.
THE EXAMPLE OF HANNAH
I imagine letting go was a struggle for Hannah in the Bible. She prayed for a son. When she was finally blessed with Samuel, she promised to give him to the Lord once he was weened. She would leave her baby with Eli the priest to be raised in the temple. This son was her delight and her answer to prayer, but she was obedient to God and released Samuel to him. How hard that must have been!
Thankfully, I’m not leaving my young child somewhere permanently, but I should trust that God has my children in His hands regardless of where they happen to be.
I can trust God’s character as I read Hannah’s prayer of praise in 1 Samuel chapter 2. Hannah knows God as her Lord, and she knows He is who He says He is… her Rock, her Savior, her Protector.
What a struggle it must have been for her to finally get the son she had prayed for, and then leave him with someone else! She poured out her soul to God in prayer, but left him there with a sense of peace. When I’m feeling uneasy about letting go, I can come to God honestly and humbly in prayer just as Hannah did.
Therefore, I can be obedient (even if it is uncomfortable at first) because, although I love my child, I love God most. I also know that God’s plan is ultimately better than my plan, and I can trust in His sovereignty.
As hard as it must have been to leave Samuel with Eli, Hannah praised God afterward.
My heart rejoices in the Lord!
1 Samuel 2 :1-2. (NLT)
The Lord has made me strong…
No one is holy like the Lord!
There is no one besides you;
there is no Rock like our God.
My hope is that through my actions of letting go, my son will see that and learn to trust in the Lord. My obedience to God will let my son experience things when he is ready, not when I am ready. Ultimately, I pray my son will have a well-defined relationship with Christ and turn to Him first when letting go. (I am humbly still learning this lesson myself.)
So, what about you? Where can you see in your own life that you need to let go and trust God?
When you reflect on that, can you prayerfully give it up to God, and walk away in peace with the knowledge that He has the best plan?
Dear God, thank You for the example we have in Hannah. Her trust in You to care for her son shows me that Your plans are always better than my own. Help me to see what I am gripping onto in this life so I can release it to You. I know that all I have is Yours already, and I must loosen it from my worldly hold. Help me to pour out to You as Hannah did and leave with peace. Amen.
For Further Reading: 1 Samuel 1:1 – 1 Samuel 2:10
