holding loosely.

I wish I could say I've mastered the art of holding loosely.

But.  I. have. not.

As a matter of fact.  I KNOW I am a control freak with so many areas of life.  And not only do I not hold loosely, you often have to pry things out of my cold, dead hands.  I can call it investment ... I can call it entitlement ... I can call it wanting my own way.

But, our lives are not our own.  We are simply stewards of what God has given us.  The good and wonderful blessings and gifts that come from His hands and the hard stuff that sifts through His hands and touches our lives.

I am working (well, maybe not by my choice) at holding those things God's entrusted to me a little less tightly ... finding faith to believe that He takes so He can fill again.  But it's hard.  Change is hard.  Loss is excruciating sometimes.

Elisabeth Elliott says this:
God has allowed in the lives of each of us some sort of loss in order that we may learn to offer ourselves a little more willingly, and thus know fullness and freedom and joy that much sooner.  We're not naturally inclined to love God and seek His Kingdom.  Trouble maybe help to incline us - that is, it may tip us over, put some pressure on us, lean us in the right direction."

Praying that in the process of letting go, I learn to cling to the only one we should hold tightly to and give Him room to do His amazing work!