We can put burdens, fear, worry into God’s hands

“Just let go. I’ll catch you.”

If only his daughter would trust him. If only she would ease her white-knuckled grip from atop the slide, enjoy the ride, and come to rest safely in her father’s arms. There’s no way he’ll let her fall. Any father knows this.

Still, she grips the slide, overcome with fear and uncertainty.

Even as adults, we struggle to let go. Letting go of what we love or care about invokes that familiar fear and uncertainty we encountered as youngsters at the playground. Except it’s much worse.

I was reminded of this recently when our kids returned from a weeklong visit to their grandparents’ house in Florida.

The entire week they were gone, I walked that fine line between wonder and worry: Will they be safe? Will they know how to handle things at the airport when it’s time to switch planes? Will some weirdo give them trouble?

Letting go of them was hard, even though I knew they are responsible, smart and old enough to do just fine without me holding their hands.

Each one of us is challenged repeatedly in life to let go of someone, or something, that matters to us.

We’ve done all we can to reach an unsaved loved one, and so we have to leave the rest to God. A Christian brother or sister has hurt us, but we know the relationship will be better served by compassion than conflict. So we have to let go of that hurt.

The boss makes decisions we disagree with, but we’ve made our case and just have to let go.

That’s hard. In fact, it’s impossible unless we let go of those burdens and place them in the hands of the one who truly understands and cares. 1 Peter 5:6-7 tells us, “Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all of your care upon Him, for He cares for you.”

Letting go is humbling. It means we’re not in control. Still, we’re to cast all of our worry, discontent, discouragement, suffering and anxiety upon the Lord. He cares, and he knows what he’s doing with our lives. Let go.

I heard a pastor say recently that Christian parents know their children are on the right path when they begin to transfer their love, allegiance and dependence from their parents to God. How true!

But isn’t it also true for all believers that we are really maturing spiritually when we let go of ourselves, and truly transfer our love, allegiance and dependence from self to the Lord Jesus Christ?

That’s what Jesus meant when he told his disciples, “Abide in me…” (John 15:1-11). He then went on to describe what abiding looks like. It involves allowing him to prune us back from time to time, that we may grow spiritually. It involves obeying his word, loving him and realizing that without him we can do nothing of eternal value. In short, Jesus tells us to let go of ourselves and abide in him.

So often that brings us right back to the top of the slide. The view from that height is scary. How do we know those things we are most fearful and anxious about will turn out OK if we remove them from our hands and place them in the Lord’s hands?

Well, unless we are willing to accept any outcome the Lord chooses, we have not truly let go. He chooses our form of landing – not us.

This is where faith comes in. The real dilemma atop that playground slide is whether the girl really believes her father will catch her. We’re no different. Do we really believe God’s promise that he cares for us? Do we really believe everything will turn out to his glory if we let go of ourselves and trust him?

Jude describes our heavenly father as “Him who is able to keep you from falling…” (Jude 24). As we struggle against the world’s temptations, and against the fears and uncertainties of life’s uncharted water, let us remember our God is there to keep us and catch us.

Our kids, Jacob and Sarah, made it back from Florida just fine – and somewhat tan – not because I fretted over every detail, but because they were always in the hands of a loving, sovereign God who cares about them and their parents.

Are you burdened? Are you afraid? Is there anxiety in your life that is robbing you of joy?

If the answer is yes, you’re normal. Just remember God’s remedy: ease your grip, let go, and cast your cares to him.

We cannot possibly be in a better place than in the arms of a loving heavenly father who truly cares for us.