Have you ever struggled to let go and surrender completely to the Lord? Do you allow God to fight your battles for you?
It’s a challenging journey, especially when we realize that we can’t fix everything on our own. Recently, I’ve been navigating some of the toughest days. I’ve had to learn to wait on God’s timing and surrendering situations that are beyond my control.
And let me tell you, it’s been a profound lesson in finding peace through letting go.
Let’s explore the power of surrendering to God’s will and experiencing the peace that surpasses all understanding.
Let God Sort It Out
Who doesn’t love taking control of their life and having complete control over the outcome? It’s almost like a game of chess or a science experiment. Whoever has the better strategy wins.
Whoever has the most calculated steps has the best outcome.
But Christianity and walking with God isn’t like that at all.
Walking with Christ isn’t necessarily about having a strategy or calculated movements.
Not at all.
It’s about letting go, walking in obedience and moving forward even if we can’t see what lies ahead. As a believer we are called to let God sort things out even when we don’t know HOW He will.
The God Of Wasted Time
I came across a song three days ago that has hit me hard. Every word in that song felt like they were being written just for me. The song is by the Christian group “Unspoken” and I’ve been finding myself in tears every single time it comes on.
The song’s lyrics read:
“You’re the God who makes up for wasted time.
You’re the God who makes straight the crooked lines.
Every promise broken,
Every second stolen,
Years that have swept on by,
You’re the God who makes up for wasted time.“
When I first heard the song I was confused by what the singers meant when they said “wasted time”. Were they referring to all the times we sit and we worry or we doubt what God says about our future?
Did they mean all the times when we look at everyone else live the life we believe we should have by now but don’t?
I’m guilty of both these things.
But no.
At least I don’t think so.
I believe the “wasted time” being referred to is all those times we wait on God to come through for us.
It’s all those times we ask God for something but He doesn’t come through right away. To me, “wasted time” feels like all those moments I sat and waited and prayed, and waited for God to come through, but He didn’t until He was ready; until the timing was perfect.
This song is about holding our peace and letting the Lord fight our battles in His timing, no matter what that looks like.
A Few Things Waiting On God Taught Me
I remember two very clear times in my life when God made me wait. Right now as I type this I’m waiting on God to approve I need to move into the next chapter of my life.
But when I look back, I remember two other times when the waiting was hard, but it was worth it.
The first time I truly waited on something from God was when I applied for scholarships to go to university. It was early 2008 and a teacher of mine helped me to apply for about 30 plus scholarships.
She was an amazing woman who took the time and effort to invest in me. (Wherever you are Mrs Aitcheson I’ll never forget the impact you had on my life. God bless you).
I remember it like it was yesterday. After months of waiting, I landed an interview with the Ministry of Education. That morning I threw on a button-down shirt, a pair of black pants and the only formal pair of shoes I owned (my school shoes), and I took the bus to the interview.
It had been sizzling that morning so my mom made me take an umbrella with me. When I walked into that office and saw all the other candidates in three-piece suits, briefcases and handbags, I was discouraged.
After my interview, as I walked back to the bus stop, I was even more discouraged as there was no way I would be chosen. I didn’t have the best grades, the best responses, and I didn’t have “the look”.
But I also remembered telling myself that I knew somehow, someway I’d get a scholarship fro school.
So I waited.
And waited.
By late May it seemed like the scholarship wouldn’t come through so my parents thought it best to apply for student loans so I did. But somewhere deep down I knew I wouldn’t need them.
I kept waiting.
And waiting.
Finally, in early October, about 8 months after I did the interview, and 2 months after school began, I got a call from the government office. I’d gotten the scholarship- the only scholarship they were giving out that year,
Out of 3.4 million people.
From 1.7 million women.
Even out of 200,000 students, I was awarded the ISSA Foundation Female Scholarship.
I was ecstatic.
The woman on the phone was ecstatic and I ran all the way to tell my mom the news. Then I cried. I cried and I cried.
Despite the odds, though it seemed impossible, God favoured me.
And He favours you too.
Letting Go Is Never Easy
It’s never easy to let go of something you’ve been holding unto forever. This thing has become part of who you are and no one voluntarily gives up an arm or leg.
In 2015, when I applied for the JET Programme, I was forced to let go. I was forced to recognize that I have never had control of my life, no matter what I believed at the time.
In my family I had no control.
I also had no control over my marriage.
And I had control over this application.
It was all in God’s hands, and He was the one who would be able to sway the tide in the direction that was best for me, even though I may not understand or see it.
Three months ago when I started doing my TEFL Certification, I had my heart set on which country I wanted to go to-the Czech Republic. It was beautiful, centrally-located and relatively easy to get into.
But God shut that down real quick; so quick in fact that I still have a bit of whiplash.
After multiple doors were slammed in my face I was discouraged. What was I gonna do and where was I gonna go?
So I let go.
I told God that wherever He wanted to send me next I’d be open to it, but even I said “I let go” physically, letting go spiritually took a lot more time and heartbreak before I stepped back and got into the back seat.
Once I did step back, God closed the door to the Czech Republic permanently, but He opened the door to another country in Europe.
God’s Ways Are Not Our Ways
I’m being very honest when I say that I never thought in a million lifetimes I’d have the opportunity to live and work in Europe. After all, I’m just an ordinary girl from Kingston, Jamaica.
I didn’t have the most money, the best grades or the biggest brain. I’m not the prettiest, not the most sociable and there isn’t a line of people waiting to get my autograph.
Here I am with a job offer work permit, packing up my life after almost 5 years in Japan and about to leave it all behind for a fresh start in the heart of Europe.
God’s ways are definitely not mine.
Not at all.
The road has been rough, bumpy, slippery and “rollercoastery”, but through it all, God has been faithful. God has been merciful. God has been just.
He has been working behind the scenes making things happen even when it looked impossible.
Even when it seemed like I wouldn’t be able to get my work permit in time for my trip to the embassy, God made it happen in record time.
When I made a mistake on my application and the system would not let me fix it or submit a new application, God stepped in.
Right now I’m waiting on the embassy to approve my visa sans one document, and I know God will step in like He has before, and make it happen.
God’s ways are not mine.
I’ve been learning to wait.
I’ve also been learning to trust.
I have been learning to let go and let God work.
Though I can’t see it, and though I don’t know what exactly He’s doing, I have let go and want His will to be done; whatever that means.
I believe He will come through and when He does, He will be glorified.
I’ve let go.
I’ve let God. Will you?
All my love,
Linda Herzog says
I just found you. And already I love who you are.😘
I’m an 81 yr old Christian woman who walked the footsteps of your youth from sentence one through the time I knew I could not do anything on my own. Your early story is my story. But enough of that.
I found you because I was/am searching for some way to share what it means to let go of a burden, and let God be your guide with my 60 year old daughter in law, who needs to do just that.
I will be following you! I suspect I found you because you are a skilled and articulate writer, who loves God, and your thinking makes sense in my mind.
Bless you!
vishhal sekhri says
oh GOD pls come with me.. it is finances and love life.
i feel lifeless and scared
Cristishor201 says
I like your style about writing about what God did in your life.
Somehow you encourage me to write a blog like yours, in the future…
SheIsAMess says
Thank you so much!