January 21, 2025
I will be honest and admit I am somewhat of a “hold on person.” Ok, maybe a little more than somewhat. I have the tendency to hold on to things to the point that it makes me second guess my decisions, feel uncertain about relationships, and sometimes make myself quite anxious.
In my lifetime, I have held on to many things longer than I should have. Can you identify? I have held on to fear, past mistakes, guilt, worry, and failures. Maybe you have held onto things as well. I think at times we all hold on to many things longer than we should, whether it is something physical that involves others or something mental that only you and the Lord know about.
I was thinking this week about these things in relation to leaves. We have a ton of leaves in our yard every day. My husband and granddaughter have been blowing the leaves off our lawn, and it seems like the next morning the entire yard is covered again. It’s just that time of year.
I noticed this morning as I backed out of the driveway the trees in our front yard have just a few leaves that are hanging on. The rest are all over the yard. As I looked at those trees, I felt like I might be one of those leaves that would hold on to the very end. You know, the ones that fight the inevitable. Well, that would be me.
All the leaves are eventually going to fall from those trees. It is the only way the trees can grow new, fresh, green leaves in the spring. There is no benefit for the leaves to hold on or be the last ones to fall from the tree. They really should just let go. Isn’t that the way God intended it to be with the things we hold onto in our lives that we shouldn’t?
He wants us to let go and realize that He is in control. Why is it that we always struggle so hard to hold on, but God says, “Trust me and let go”? Realizing that God has something better for us than our worries or fears should allow us to let go. Knowing that God has something greater than our past mistakes allows us to look forward to what God has in store.
The hardest thing for me is the mind battle with Satan. He wants to remind me of all the things I have held on to over and over because he doesn’t want me to let go. If I hold on, I am conceding to the negativity that Satan puts into my mind and keeping them in my thoughts. I must let go of those things and trust God. I must allow HIM to be in control.
When I let go of those fears, guilt, failures, and mistakes I allow room for God to grow my faith, refresh my spirit, and be open to the new things He has in store for me. Colossians 3:2 says, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” You cannot do that if you are holding on to things in your past. Isaiah 26:3 says, “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.” You cannot have peace in your heart and mind if you are holding on to things that God has forgiven. You cannot move forward if you let the past distract you.
I will be honest and say I have much work to do in this area. Letting go of thoughts, words, actions, and situations is not easy at all! To me, it’s one of the hardest things to do. But realizing God is in control and He wants to show me new things and new ways makes it worth the work.
Just like the leaves letting go give way to new growth and life, I need to do the same. Philippians 3:13 says, “Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do; forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead.” My goal is to let goof my past mistakes and troubles and only hold on to to Jesus.
I want to know Him more, so I will be better equipped to press on to what lies ahead of me. Jesus is the only thing we ever need to HOLD ON to! What are you holding on to that you need to release today? Don’t ever let go of Jesus because He will NEVER let go of you!
___
Jill Johnson, a staff member at the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, finds spiritual applications in her everyday experiences as a wife, mother, grandmother and Georgian. She is available to speak to your church's women's gatherings. Reach her at jjohnson@gabaptist.org.
