Have you ever witnessed a toddler wanting a toy that another child has? It’s quite humorous. They will just go over and grab the item of interest without asking. The moment the original owner realizes what’s going on, a struggle begins to take place. All of a sudden, it’s not about the toy at all. It becomes a battle of wills. “That’s mine!” “I had it first!” You know how it goes. Nobody is getting any use out of the item at all. It has nothing to do with it whatsoever. The only thing that matters at this point is who the Victor will be. Nobody will let go! The conflict and chaos caused by whatever this object is could already be over, but the relentless children will not let it go.

As adults, we look at these situations as silly and ridiculous. It’s doing nothing but causing division. Before we point fingers at our children, let’s consider God’s children-us. What about us? Are there certain things, situations, past hurts, jealousy etc. that we’re holding tightly to that The Lord is trying to take from us? Are these things causing chaos and discord in your personal life and relationships? If we’re honest, we probably all have something that we need to let go of. It’s not doing us any good. It occupies too much space in our minds. It uses more of our time than we can afford to give and most importantly, it’s hurting us. The tighter we cling, the more of a grip it has on us. The devil whispers to us, “you have every right to (you fill in the blank)”. The truth is my friends, just because we may have a “right”, doesn’t make it “right”. There are things we’re holding onto that physically and emotionally hurt us. These are the very things Jesus came to rescue us from. “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” (‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭1‬ ‭NIV‬‬) When you have a death grip on whatever it is that you’re dealing with, whether material or immaterial, you are enslaved to it. It has control over you. Jesus doesn’t want anything of this world controlling you. His way is better. It’s a life of peace. 

“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” (‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭26‬:‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬) The Lord wants our hearts and minds to be fixated on good things. He wants His ways to operate in us by the power of The Holy Spirit. “So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.” (‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬) Isn’t this what we want? I’d rather have the abundant life and peace Jesus came to give me than anything that I’m holding on to. So, there has to be an exchange.

God will not compete with our “baggage”. If we decide to hang on tight, He will reluctantly allow it. This is not His best for you and it hurts Him to watch you hurt. However, if we decide to let go of whatever the thing/situation may be, He can do wonders. We can walk in freedom if we choose. It is available to all of His children. He is there with open arms to help you in the process. It all starts by letting go.

Today’s writer is Brandi Crowe. A hairdresser for over 25 years, she is currently the owner of Brandi Crowe salon in Buford, GA. She loves hiking, a good cup of coffee, and spending time with family and friends. Brandi lives in a custom farmhouse with her husband Robby and cat Harold.