Contemplating all the lessons learned over the years, one of my biggest “heart” lessons is the one about “leaving it there”. Leaving what? Leaving “IT” – What could “it” possibly be? My children, my finances, my marriage, my health (now my parents’ health too), anything I hold on to and won’t let go. THAT is what “it” is.
My first “leaving it there” lesson was when my first born, Danny, was an infant. He was born with a defective heart. Many of you know this story. While we are at Mpls Children’s’ Hospital ICU, our pastor calls and prays with me over the phone. I will never forget it. He told me to “leave him there, leave him in God’s Hands”. God will do what I could not do. I felt good (PEACE) for about a minute. It felt good to not be in charge, to not handle. Then I walked back to ICU and saw my baby, tubes and all. My “peace” evaporated. I guess, as I look back and remember the day he went into surgery three months later, I felt peace as the Lord Jesus Christ took control of the situation because I had left Danny with Him. There was nothing I could do, really. Worrying about it got me nowhere – leaving it there was my only option.
Over the years, there were plenty of “leaving it there” moments. Each time, I would picture leaving my child, my marriage, the situation THERE. To me, my THERE place was under the Cross, literally. We have a HUGE Cross at our church and I would see myself put “it” there, whatever “it” was and walk away. Sometimes I went back and picked “it” up, or straightened “it” out, but the more I practiced leaving it, the easier it became.
Since then, my prayers to leave it there have become more fervent because in my flesh, I canNOT leave it there (and I know it!). I want control of the situation and I want it my way. However, when I ask God to take it, He complies every time.
In Genesis 22, God asked Abraham to leave his son as a sacrifice. Scripture tells us that when Abraham complied, not really knowing what God had in mind, he knew that God would provide. The whole point was whether Abraham was going to just LEAVE IT THERE/ JUST GIVE IT UP -
For our God is a God Who provides, a God of hope, a God who heals and loves more than we will ever comprehend. The more I leave IT there, the more God reveals Himself to me. It has nothing to do with me, mind you, but ALL to do with Him.
Do you trust Him with “it”? What is your “it”? Is it something that’s keeping you up at night, causing stress and worry? LEAVE IT THERE, sweet sister. Have a one-on-one with the Lord, God Almighty. All you have to do is be willing, HE will do the rest!
May my heart see ALL THE LORD IS as I leave it with Him!
Debbie, Your comment about picturing yourself literally setting your burdens under the cross at your church makes "leaving it" so much more concrete. Like you, I know just how hard it is to leave my burdens under the cross for the Lord to bear for me. But I also know how much lighter and at peace I feel when the Lord takes them from me. Thanks for sharing through your blog.
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