Some of the most stressful and insecure moments in a teenager’s life occur when they have finally reached that cliff-hanging edge of graduating high school and not knowing where to go from there. As a youth on this “edge,” I have experienced time and time again the feeling of not knowing what exactly comes next. I’m constantly asking myself, “What choice would be best for my future? Am I positive that this is right? What if I’m making a mistake? Where do I go from here?”
Feelings of doubt, worry, and fear flooded my mind whenever I would think about colleges, getting my degree, finding work…for a while I spent many nights dwelling on them all. God had so much to show me! How could I be so ignorant? What in my right mind could cause me to think that I have control of my own future? Frequently, I’ve used the phrase, “It all depends on what the future holds.” …How quickly I had forgotten that the future is not some important figure that holds events to come. The future doesn’t hold them. I don’t hold them. God does – The Ruler of all Creation, Lord of Heaven and earth, the One who puts all things into motion.
I am so thankful to have learned that these important and life-changing times do not have to be ones of walking on eggshells. It is coming to that sweet surrender that we finally find peace in knowing that God holds the future in His hands. No decision we make will ultimately effect what God has in store. It is only when we seek His direction that we find the right steps to take.
In Tenth Avenue North’s song, “Let it Go,” they describe the life of those who truly let it go: “I've been holding on so tight. Look at these knuckles, they've gone white. I'm fighting for who I wanna be. I'm just trying to find security. But You say let it go, You say let it go. You say life is waiting for the one's who lose control. You say you will be everything I need. You said if I lose my life it's then I'll find my soul. You say let it go.”
How can we truly and fully let go of that desire to control? We must come to the place of complete loss, giving it all to Him! Until we realize this, we will constantly find frustration and discouragement in our decisions and mistakes. In order for us to willingly grasp hold of His hand and trust Him with the future, our hands must first be free! This is the beautiful act of surrender --- letting go of it ALL.
SDG
