Stop Trying to ‘Let it Go’

I wonder if Moses had a hard time letting it go.

As he stood on Mount Nebo on top of Pisgah Peak (Deuteronomy 34:1), Moses saw the land God promised to the people of Israel. He saw the land, but he could not enter it. After leading the Hebrews of out Egypt in a great and mighty Exodus, and after leading the people through the desert for 40 years, Moses’ season as leader was over.

Moses himself experienced a great journey from baby in a basket to prince of Egypt to shepherd in exile to facilitator of plagues and separator of waters. Moses changed and grew as a leader from skeptical and insecure to experienced judge and mediator between God and the people.

When his season of leadership was ending, God, in His wisdom, allowed Moses to transition his leadership role to his successor, Joshua (Deuteronomy 31). In a ceremony of transfer in power, God instructed Moses to write one last song to share with the people while He commissioned Joshua to lead the people into the promised land.

Still…after all Moses experienced,

after all he had learned and endured,

after all he had witnessed….

I still can’t help but wonder if Moses had a hard time letting it go.

Moses isn’t the only one who’s experience letting go of one season to embrace another.

When you’re on the outside looking in, it’s easy enough to say “Let It Go”! (You’re singing the song in your head right now!)

People say all the time “Just let go, and let God”.

But, letting go is not easy. In fact, letting go is really hard.

Why is that? Why is it so hard to “let it go”?

Because from our human point of view, letting go feels really scary.

When we have to change, stop, or release something, letting go can feel unresolved, untethered, floating away, free falling, walking away, leaving it behind or giving up.

‘Letting it go’ feels like we’re saying…

There’s nothing I can do.

It’s out of my hands.

I have no say in the matter.

I am not in control.

Instead, God asks us to change our perspective from letting go to entrusting to Him.

When we are entrusting something to God, we are taking an active role in a season of change. It means we are actively placing it in God’s hands. We are giving the situation to Him to take care of on our behalf. We are trusting Him to be in control and to work for us as our Sovereign.

Like when Jesus died on the cross, He said “into Thy hands I commend my spirit” (Luke 23:46). Jesus just didn’t ‘let it go’, rather, He entrusted His very spirit into the care of God.

Entrusting feels like….

I am giving God control and trusting in God’s timing.

I will take responsibility by handing it over to Someone who can do something about it.

I will forgive.

I will move on to something greater.

Entrusting to God says “I give this to You.” “I am cooperating with You in this season of change.” “I don’t like this, but I’m trusting You to handle it.”

Are you facing a season of change?

Are you experiencing a difficult situation?

Stop trying to let it go.

Instead, entrust your situation…..the very thing He’s asking you to give up or change….entrust it to God. Place it in His loving hands.

As Moses took a last look over the valley of the promised land, in his one last act of obedience, he died, just as God said he would. And just like Jesus, he entrusted his very life into the loving hands of God.

And God didn’t disappoint either because the loving Care Taker buried Moses Himself. When Moses entrusted his life to God, He didn’t let Moses down. In fact, He had something much bigger and more eternal than the earthly dust of the promised land than even Moses could ever imagine.

Even in death, Moses’ story was not over, but that’s another lesson for another day.

Open your tightly closed fist. Live with an open hand. Stop trying to “let it go”.

When you do, God can be trusted that when He asks you to change something or move or stop something or try something new, He doesn’t ask you to blindly ‘let it go’.

He asks you to entrust it to Him. 

He is so very faithful.

~Amy