Letting Go

It’s been too long since the last devotion, and I have sincerely missed connecting with you. The new year has brought many changes, but through it all, the Lord has remained faithful. I pray that you are blessed in some way by the devotion today, and please drop me a line when you can.

Most of you have probably heard the story about the dog whose leash was tied onto a stake for a very long time—possibly months or maybe even years. Well, when the owner finally removes the leash from the stake and frees the dog, he refuses to go out any further than the distance that he was accustomed to being able to go with the leash. The dog just can’t seem to realize that he is free from the leash once attached to the stake. He had been bound so long that he didn’t recognize his freedom.

I think many of us fall victim to this. We can become negatively conditioned and confined by our own choices and we don’t recognize the freedom and liberty we have in Christ. We have done the same thing, thought the same way, and said the same things for so long that we don’t see God’s vision, plan, and purpose for our lives. In fear, we cling to the things that are comfortable and familiar to us, whether they’re ultimately going to be good for ourselves or not. Ultimately, we box ourselves in by our own choices and limit what God can do for us and through us by refusing to let go.

First of all, let me say that letting go can be difficult. Whether it’s letting go of negative thinking or speech, unhealthy relationships, bad habits and/or addictions, our natural man is going to protest letting go. However, there are no exceptions. We must let go of anything that separates us from relationship with Him, and sin is the thing that causes separation between us and God.

Many of us can quote Romans 3:23, which says, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” This verse isn’t, however, justification for us to sin. Because we sin, we need justification that we have free access to only through our faith in the sacrifice that Jesus made for us (Romans 5:1). Now, once we are believers, we are justified by faith, fully covered by His grace. As a result, we don’t let sin reign in [our] mortal bodies.” We are just and justified through our faith in Him, so again, we don’t allow sin to have control over us. In other words, we must let go of sin. The evidence that we trust Him is clearly shown by our choices, lifestyle, and speech.

We have the power through His death, burial, and resurrection to triumph over sin. We do have the power to let go of anything that would hinder the Lord from using us to the fullest. Romans 8:6 says, “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” Verse 8 from this same chapter says that “they that are in the flesh cannot please God.” Regardless of what the world says, we cannot straddle the fence. We have to make the choice to eliminate sin from our lives, no exceptions, no excuses and no delays.

When we don’t recognize that we have to let go of sin, we are actually operating just like that dog on the leash that doesn’t recognize his freedom. Jesus has paid the penalty for sin for us, and when we sin, we are refusing to accept the gift of freedom from sin that He has given us access to by remaining a slave to the sin. We can either be a slave to sin or a slave to righteousness. Romans 6:18 says that “Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.” When we serve Him, we are free! Galatians 5:1 tells us to “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” We are free to live for Him, free from the bondage of sin and our selfish desires, and free from spiritual death.

I pray that any person who is struggling to break free of a sinful situation, thought-pattern, or behavior acknowledges the sin and repents today. I pray that anyone who needs to let go, recognizes it, and turns their faith towards the One who is worthy of all of our trust, the Lord Jesus Christ. I pray that His peace may be with you now and always.

Letting Go With You,
MaRita

What Will You Choose?

The weight of making decisions lately had been pressing me, and to be blunt, I had been feeling overwhelmed. When I stepped back though, I realized that it was only because I wasn’t taking the decisions to the one who knows all the answers.
Most all of us are bombarded on a daily basis with a host of choices, both big and small, to make but God has been showing me that we need to carefully make the right choices in life in all matters. The decisions that we have to make, however, should not be made directed by our emotions, by what others will approve of, or by the world’s standards. Our standard and base for decision-making must be grounded in God’s Word. When we take the decisions that we have to make to Him and His Word, we assured that we will always do the right thing.

I remember being at a crossroad in my life many years ago. I didn’t want to be single, but I knew that I couldn’t serve God and settle for less than what He wanted for me. I had to decide whether I’d let my fear of being lonely force me to make ungodly decisions or to trust Him. I remember clearly being knelt by the side of my bed in my small apartment crying before the Lord. A vision of years of loneliness unfolded before my eyes, and I sobbed. Yet, during my prayer the Holy Spirit calmed me and the decision was again before me. Are you going to trust me? That night I decided that I would serve and obey the Lord, no matter what. While I didn’t do everything perfectly, I strived daily to obey Him and trust Him with every part of my life—even if it meant that I might be single. My heart was open and willing to trust and obey.

I have been blessed with a family that loves God. We serve and worship Him together. My vision, skewed by the world’s standards and Satan, was remarkably different than the plans that God had for me. I want to add that none of these blessing have been a result of my own goodness, but from the Lord’s grace and mercy. He honors complete obedience and a pure heart, and as His Word says, He is no respecter of persons.

God wants us to choose to love, worship, and serve Him willingly though—He will not force us. Joshua 24:15 says, “choose you this day whom ye will serve . . .as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Deuteronomy 30:19 says, “I have set before you life and death, blessings and cursings: choose life , that both thou and thy seed may live.” God has given us the roadmap for life in His Word. Psalm 119:5 explains that “Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” His Word must be the standard we apply that illuminates and directs our path and decision-making in life.

Often people think that they can obey part of the truth and be okay, but we are either living a surrendered life devoted to Christ or we are not. Psalm 66:18 says, “If I regard iniquity [sin] in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.” If we are not actively choosing life by obeying His Word and His will, we are choosing death—even if it is by default.

Some of these things will make people uncomfortable I’m sure, but the bottom line is God is the one that searches every man’s heart. We can’t trust ourselves to make the right decisions in life. Proverbs 21:2 says “All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the Lord weighs the heart.” We can be fooled into thinking that we know what’s best for ourselves and end up with a joyless, unsatisfied, and empty life.
We are don’t have to worry about the outcome of the decisions we make when we love Him with all of our heart, mind, and soul (Matt. 22:37-40). From there, we will be compelled to read his Word and pray. The Word tells us that when the Word is in our heart, not just our head, we won’t sin against Him (Psalm 119:11). Finally, we can rest, knowing that if we delight ourselves in the Lord, He really will give us the desires of our heart (Psalm 37:4).

I’d love to hear from you, and know that I’m praying that God is directing all the decisions that you have before you.

Blessings and Love,
MaRita
www.MaRitaTeague.net