clenching too tight?

Today was one of those days where everything seemed to be a major effort, all day long.

It started up an hour earlier than I ended up needing to be up.

At work, one long awaited tech glitch fixed caused another even more frustrating one, eventually freezing three computers and one program, making for very frustrated staff and clients for a brief period.

Every time the phone rang, someone live was at reception needing to be served, or all three phone lines rang at the same time.
And over and over, as many people don’t like to leave voice mails, so they keep calling until you answer.

Not to mention the action emails, a sick staff, laundry or other daily jobs that pile up in a bustling business.

A kid sent home sick, the other studying for the first of four exams, three of which are math.

A post that garbled another post’s link and ended up on the wrong site.

And all day long, God reminded me to let it go. Don’t try to control everything but go along with His flow, and keep letting it go.

With two exceptions of incidents that tried to cross my boundaries, I tried very hard to flow along and not let things stress me out, which for me usually ends up with me taking them personally.

I even had a few cool observations from my quiet times (coz I didn’t have enough time to finish it all at once) which I wouldn’t have seen had I not been depending on Him so much.

I will admit, I was pretty ticked at the scenarios that popped up, and was hoping for a good wallow and stew session. Then God reminded me each time to let it go.

I don’t need to accept another person’s attempt to control me, nor their bad mood.

I had to unclench my fist and let it fall open by praying forgiveness.

Let go of the offense and forgive, instead of going on the defense.

Lift my hands in praise instead of clenching tight to anger.

Today, I found it hard.

But I obeyed, the second time quicker than the first.

And as i did, God revealed something profound in my listening and obedience.

A negative spirit (control, anger, insecurity) will back off if you won’t partner with it. Why? It can’t play out the drama it desires when we refuse to plug in with the part it is trying to assign us. Essentially we steal its thunder as we refuse to let it plunder us.

We need to be diligent to ask God what is really going on, and listen for Holy Spirit’s whisper: what to do, how to do it, what to say and/or what to pray.

By speaking forgiveness out loud, I declare my intention to let God be in control of the situation, not me nor the other party involved.

Every time God reminds me to use my shield, it had been to stand on who He is, and who He has made me…His Chosen Beloved, home of Holy Spirit. Child of the King, given His authority.

By letting go, I let God move into the offensive on my behalf.

I don’t need to take offense, God is keeping track of wrong doings as the Judge.

My part? Focus on sticking close to Him, even closer on the days like today where it felt like everything was rising up against me.

God moves mightily to resolve things when i let them go.

Its by clutching His hands that I am going to make it through any situation that comes my way, not by the works of my hands, nor anything else i may be holding onto.

Its time to open our hands, let go of what we were never meant to hold, and allow God to tightly grip us with His loving embrace and immeasurable grace.