Jan 4 -Change is Letting Go

God doesn’t force anyone to change, but He calls us to be transformed.

He says things like, “Be holy as I am holy,” (1 Peter 1:16). That sounds like an impossible task.

But its possibility comes by the work of God in us.

Our part is to say “Here I am Lord, shape and mold me. I surrender to you”.

We are called to put off the “old man”, and take hold of the “new man.” Ephesians 4:20-24

Letting go of the familiar is difficult, even when the new that is offered is better. Sometimes it seems part of our makeup is to resist change, even when it will help.

Over the next few days we are going to look at some of the reasons why change is difficult for us:

1. Because people are stubborn

Have you ever tried to take something out of a two-year-old’s hand? Two-year-olds are amazingly strong. When they want to hold onto a toy, it takes effort to get it from them.

But we can all be just like that. We gain a grip on what we hope to keep. Often we simply need to realize that it is time to surrender and let go.

1. Because people are trapped

Perhaps you’ve heard the illustration of how to trap a monkey. All you need is a rock and a coconut. Drill a hole in the coconut large enough to put the rock inside, but not large enough for anything else. A monkey will be able to reach inside to take hold of the rock, but its clenched fist around the rock will not fit back through the hole. The monkey will, in effect, trap itself because of a refusal to let go of the rock.

Many Christians trap themselves with a clenched fist. How? We trap ourselves when we hold onto pride, unforgiveness, hobbies, preferences, or anything else that keeps us from the new life Jesus wishes to form in us.

It’s important for us all to take some time to look at our lives. To reflect, and assess where we are stubborn to change, and/or have allowed ourselves to become trapped by our refusal to ‘let go”.

When God asks us to let go it’s so He can heal, restore and get something better to us.

Ask Holy Spirit to reveal to you where you need to surrender, let go and allow Him to move in your life.

Trust Him to do that today.

Prayer: Lord please forgive me for areas in my life where I have become stubborn, and have refused to deal with and “let go” of things in my life.

Help me to not to resist your working in me, and to understand more fully that you only have good planned for my life. In Jesus Name Amen.