Let it be

The sunlight dances on my fingertips as I write this and the quiet afternoon is disrupted only by the sound of the wind outside. It has been awhile since I last wrote to you all, and for good reason. This season of life has been full to the brim, and I have mostly been trying to balance it all, soak it all in, and make the most of what each day offers. I am sure it is no different for you; Does it also feel to you as though someone hit the accelerator on time? I will pray that we can each find a moment to slow down and feel God's hand on our shoulder as we move from day to day.

Within all of the tips and turns of life, my mom brought this phrase to my life and it has remained: Let it be. It has become my companion. Woven through the fabric of our lives, we come face-to-face with frustration, lack of control, sadness, and hopelessness, often right next to happiness, gratitude, peace, and excitement. It can be challenging to navigate the emotions so close together. How do we honor God within the natural rollercoaster of human emotions? How can we serve Him when we have so little control over some of the situations we find ourselves in? What can we do to right the wrongs we see every day in the news, in our hometowns, in our classrooms, in our homes? How do we know if the work we are doing right now is actually serving Him?

These are all valid questions, all asked in moments of uncertainty and unrest. I consider my mom's words: Let it be. Sometimes the most we can do is let God do His work. Sometimes the biggest leap of faith is patience. Sometimes the loudest we hear God is in the absolute stillness of quiet. Sometimes the hardest step to take is standing still.

1 Corinthians 15:58 reads "Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain." Here we are reminded that consistency and steadiness are what we strive for. God is working. God is working whether we frantically try everything to fix this broken world. God is working when we are to-the-bone exhausted. God is working when we feel as though we have messed everything up. When we allow ourselves to worry, fear, and try to control every situation, we have lost sight of our faith. God will tell us where to go, how to serve Him, and what we need to do. Being patient, praying, and working for the Lord is the best way we can help fix what is broken. The rest of it? Well, let it be. Trust that God will handle it with more care and more love than we could. Believe that the wrongs will be righted, that justice and mercy will be served, and that God is not turning a blind eye to what we are seeing.

Letting it be does not mean sitting on the sidelines, it does not mean turning up the noise of the world so we can drown out God's voice, and it does not mean complacency. In fact, it really means the opposite. It is a reflection upon what we are each trying to do, it is a check-in with ourselves and with God to make sure we are doing our very best, and it is an acceptance of our role in God's almighty plan. We cannot be every player on the team, we cannot manipulate the time to be in our favor, and we cannot see the whole grand picture of life as God does. Instead, we can do our part by listening for the Lord's guidance, giving our whole heart to Him, and doing our best in everything we do. Colossians 3:17 reminds us that "And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." This is how we do our part, how we trust in God's working Hand, how we remain patient in a broken world. When we find ourselves navigating clashing emotions, when we wonder how best to serve God, when we struggle with our lack of control, we can remember that when we do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, we then have the ability to let the rest of it all be.

When we let it be as God intended, we are accepting His will for us and for others. We are surrendering to Him and His plans. It is about trusting Him fully. John 4:27 states "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubles, neither let them be afraid." God is working with us, through us, and around us every single day. I pray that we all lean into it. When we do, we find that we are peace with the role that God has called us to, and we can see His guiding Hand more clearly going forward. We settle the unrest and fear with His calming presence. When we find ourselves overwhelmed and worried, we can remember to simply do our best for the Lord and to let the rest of it be. He will be there, just as He will be with us.