"Listen carefully: Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, dead to the world, it is never any more that a grain of wheat. But if it is buried, it sprouts and reproduces itself many times over. In the same way, anyone who holds onto life just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love, you'll have it forever, real and eternal." The words of Jesus Christ in John 12:24-25 (The Message Bible)
I was chatting with a friend at church tonight who has shown me what this scripture looks like in every day life. A few years ago she encountered the love of Jesus Christ and her heart began an exciting journey of surrender, healing and the road to freedom. As most of us know all too well, along our journey called life we experience pain and in our pain we tend to either push away or fight back. Caught in the cross fire of her pain was a marriage that had been pushed to the point of a divorce that neither party really wanted, but neither could they see the point of "pretending" any longer. I watched her encounter the heart of Jesus at this point of loss in her life. She wanted a marriage that her husband did not want to fight for. She shared with me tonight how even after the divorce she had been holding on as tight as she possibly could to what remained of their relationship ... but you can imagine the hurts, confusion and insecurity that she has faced through all this. Recently, Jesus drew her away and prompted her to finally "let go". For the first time she surrendered all the hurt, disappointment, broken dreams and longing for reconciliation at the feet of a faithful Saviour. In doing so she shared with me the transformation that has begun in her own heart and life. Not only is she seeing her ex-husband's heart beginning to soften and change, but she has been liberated from a life that though once "familiar" was filled with hurt, isolation and self-doubt. She is now encountering what it is like to "come alive" in who she is in God. Her confidence is growing. New friendships are blossoming. Her self esteem is being restored. Jesus has taken her once ordinary life and is making it extraordinary with such hope for the future (and for today).
God is a God of redemption. It all starts at our point of "letting go" ... allowing those things that we cling to so desperately to fall at the feet of Jesus so that He can transform our lives into abundant, life-producing life!
Today I am choosing to "let go" of some familiar worries and patterns that I have learned to cling onto and to look into the face of the One whom I love and trust who is always faithful to redeem, restore and multiply in countless new ways. Isn't He amazing :)
All my love,
Janine xxx
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