Letting Go

Welcome! If you are reading The Women of Christmas by Liz Curtis Higgs with us, we are in Chapter 2 “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence.”


I’ve still been thinking about something I wrote last week, while looking at Elizabeth and Zechariah…“At some point, they must have decided that a child was not in God’s plans for them.” And I’ve been wondering…

When is it time to lay down a dream, and does laying it down mean I’m putting a time limit on God?

Maybe the difference is whether or not we take it into our own hands and try to make it happen any way we can.

For Elizabeth and Zechariah, they could have decided that since they were getting older, and Elizabeth was unable to conceive, Zechariah should have a child with another woman. But they didn’t.

Scripture tells us they were faithful and God saw them as righteous, so they must have laid down the dream for a child, and depended on God to get them through the disappointment.

I don’t think laying a dream down means giving up on God, but instead, forgoing our plans and desires for what God has planned. Even when we don’t know what that is.

There will be disappointment and sadness with accepting that we may not ever have something we desire so badly (a child, a spouse, healing, the perfect career, etc.), but letting it go allows for time to grieve and the ability to move on.

It releases us from the worry, obsessing, and trying to figure out how to make it happen. We let go and let God be in control.

Elizabeth and Zechariah didn’t know when they let their dream go what God had planned. Maybe for Zechariah to be the chosen priest from his order to enter the sanctuary and burn incense was another dream of theirs. And that day, they saw their dream come true. 

They never turned away from God, but in faith, they kept hoping in expectation of what He would do.

And there was no way they could have imagined that on that same day, God would resurrect a dream they had given back to Him—their dream for a child.

God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us. 
Ephesians 3:20 The Message

How about you? Is there a dream you’ve let go, in hope and anticipation of what God has planned—even when you have no idea of what that might be?

In Christ,
Laura 

11 comments:

  1. loved this, Laura...

    I have had to lay down a dream before. and I must confess, it was not in hope or expectation, but in complete surrender that what I wanted more was His will. Not *this dream*. Unbelievable how hard it was to do...to leave it down I should say.

    And the funny thing was...He picked it back up and gave it to me fulfilled...I'll never get over it.

    the lesson I learned is how easily our dreams can come before Him. How focused we become on the dream more than His glory...

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    1. I agree, Nikki. Sometimes a dream becomes an idol, coming before God. I have to be careful of that. Love it when you stop by!

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  2. Great lesson. I once heard it said, that our part in the equation is believing God CAN - that He is ABLE. The rest is up to God's sovereign and perfect will. In the meantime, surrendering a dream to Him does not mean giving up, but rather letting go (as you've so wisely pointed out). Letting go of the selfish striving, while at the same time believing that God can do the impossible!

    GOD BLESS!

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  3. Hi laura, I found you via the WholeHearted Wednesdays linkup! Loved this post. We named our son, Zacharias, because when we received news we would have him, we were quite surprised. Like Zacharias and Elizabeth, we had given up on the dream of children - but really chose to put his plans first. It was a hard sacrifice. Thank you for the remidner to put Him first! Blessings! ~Melissa

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    1. What a great testimony Melissa! Nothing is impossible for God, that's for sure!

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  4. Dear Laura
    I think the secret lies in desiring God's will above all. When I look back at my life before my illness, I can say with all honesty that I never want to go back to my "healthy" days the way they were! Our Pappa has only worked everything for my good and for His glory! Now it lies in His Hands alone and I am happy just as long as He is glorified through my life!
    Blessings XX
    Mia

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  5. Dreams are so often of my own making and not of God's. May I not turn away from God, but in faith, keep hoping in expectation of what He will do. Thank you, Laura, for sharing this.

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  6. The Word says that God gives to us the desires of our hearts. I have to believe that God put those dreams there. If I am faithful to lay them down, trusting Him for the outcome, He will fulfill them, in His timing, in His way. Thank you for sharing!

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  7. Laura, this Scripture story was very special to me as we were praying about starting a family. We were not able to conceive naturally, but I hold on to the truth that God is able to do anything, so if he wants me to be a mom, then He will open up doors for us to adopt.

    Thanks for sharing this with us. I need to buy this book. Love Liz! :)

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  8. You always explain things so simply and yet beautifully Laura.

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Thank you for sharing your thoughts!

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