When I was about ten, and about this time of year, late February or early March, my dad took me fishing with him. It was cold, rainy and miserable which to my dad was perfect timing. After we started catching bull heads (catfish) which my dad described as pan sized we soon forgot the uncomfortable conditions. My dad’s bobber was the first to go down and up came the first catch of the day, a beautiful fish with a golden belly and horns that I was told not to touch. Feeling a little envious of his catch I watched my bobber or as my dad called it, my cork even closer. We didn’t sit there too long until dad and I both got a bite and I yanked for all I was worth. As my cane pole bent under the pulling of the whale on my hook, I told my dad who was busy with his own fish, “I think it’s a big one”. I pulled and pulled until my dad said something that astonished me, he said “let go”! With that I planted my little feet in firmly and pulled all the harder! Again he said “let go, you are pulling against me”! What was this? I finally get a bite and he says “let go”. He evidently doesn’t know what I know about the big fish pulling on my line. After much prompting he finally was laughing so hard he could hardly get the words out, “let go” you are pulling against me”. He was pulling one way and I the other! We had both hooked the same fish and we were both trying to pull him in. I heard that story told many times when fish stories were shared ,and it always made my dad laugh. He would always laugh and tell how I was determined that I was not going to let go and he couldn‘t convince me that in order to catch the little yellow bull head I needed to let go and let him take over! I don’t remember if he pulled it in or not, I only remember thinking that I knew best, and wondering why my Dad didn’t realize that.
Many times I hang on to things and situations while all the time my heavenly Father is saying “let go and let me take over”. And just as many times I dig my feet in and say no way this is all mine, I know best. When I have a problem I pull for all I am worth, God says give it to me “I‘ll take your burden” but I give it another yank until I am worn out from the struggle. “I’ve got this one God”, I say with my actions “thanks anyway”! Somehow I think if I worry, fret and use my own strength, I can pull it off, but finally I have to say “okay, God I give it to you. I am not accomplishing a thing with my worry, nor is my puny efforts getting me anywhere”. I will let go so you can accomplish what I cannot. Take over, Lord!
Do you have a burden so big that you are bent from the weight of it? Are you reluctant to let go for fear that God can’t really see how important it is or maybe wouldn‘t handle it the way you planned? I have been there and God still tells me LET GO, let me take over. Just as that little girl of many years ago, I some times dig my feet in and say “I want it my way and if I give it to you it might not turn out like I want”! I hear God say “it will turn out better, my child”!
May the Lord be praised! Day after day He bears our burdens; God is our salvation. Selah
Psalm 68:19
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