Let Go!
January 20, 2019 by Kathy Carlton Willis
Filed under Daily Devotions, Worship
Jazzy loves to “pretend-bury” treats for future enjoyment. She tucks her rawhide in the folds of her favorite blanket, and then pushes with her nose to “throw dirt” over the hole until she believes it is hidden from view. Other treats are “buried” in various corners of the house, waiting to be rediscovered by her at a later date. The best part is to watch her fuss over the burial process, and then to watch her retrieve the treat immediately, to be buried elsewhere or enjoyed in an instant gratification moment. With Jazzy, this process is all fun and games, but we humans practice a similar process that leads to our ruination.
We say we are burying the hatchet, the grudge, and the hurt. We make a big ordeal out of the burial process, so the offense is hidden from view. But we hide it just about as long as Jazzy hides her treats. Even before the hurt fades from memory, we snatch it back up so we can ruminate on it some more. We lick our wounds and think about how pitiful our situation is. We think about how a person or event harmed us beyond repair, and we don’t even think of asking Jesus to heal our broken hearts. How are we helping the healing process by reliving those things that bring us down? When we ask Jesus to help us really forgive, we can move forward and enjoy the clean slate of our future.
As we enter the second month of this New Year, we can lighten our load by putting away those things that hinder our journey. Goal setting can only help us with our future when we have successfully dealt with the past. This is the perfect time of year to take inventory of our burdens and let them go like helium balloons rather than hide them in the ground. That way, we can look up rather than bury our heads in the sand.
AUTHOR QUOTE: Let go, and then “let’s go!”
“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,” Hebrews 12:1 KJV.
Today’s devotion is by Kathy Carlton Willis, wife to Russ, pastor’s wife to many, author, editor, publicist, and speaker. Kathy Carlton Willis Communications encompasses her many passions. Learn more about how she desires to “Shine the Light on Him and His” at: http://kcwcomm.blogspot.com/ or http://www.kathycarltonwillis.com/.
Kathy Carlton Willis shines, whether she’s shining the light on God’s writers and speakers, or reflecting God’s Light during her speaking programs. She is Christ-servant, wife to Russ, editor, publicist, certified CLASSeminars faculty and AWSA member. KCW Communications encompasses her many passions. Schedule Kathy for a speaking event or contact her firm for promotional assistance. Learn more at http://www.kathycarltonwillis.com/.
Just recently I observed a new acquaintance who received news – other than she was hoping for.. She could have taken that bad news, hid it away somewhere, dug it up again later to pet it and feel sorry for herself. If allowed to, that loss could have taken away her joy.
Instead, she laid it down immediately, gave God the glory for even putting her in the position she had been in and MOVED ON.
I would say that “Let’s Go!” is part of her spiritual DNA.
Cool article. I watch my cat bury both the cat food and the dog food in the pretend dirt off the cement patio. Or watch our daughters puppy bury her treats in blanket and pillows.
I too wish I could bury my pain and sorrows, those caused by others and those caused by myself. It has never worked. They always seems to resurface. As you have shown here, the only solution and salve has been to take it to Christ in prayer, and leave it there. It’s hard. But He has always been faithful to take care of them.
Thank you for such a timely article.