Giving Up Means Letting Go

Giving up means letting go. Anna loves magazines, and Daddy had just given her a new one. Especially the new ones, she loves them best. Just to test her, he asked for the new gift back. A playful run started to happen, as he put his hand out, and she went the opposite direction of that hand! Now several of us joined in, telling her to give up the book. Finally, she reached out her hand with the magazine in it toward her Father, but as he sought to take it, he could not. Her grip on that book was strong. Although the gesture looked sincere, the full action was not done.

Giving up means letting go. Some times we give ourselves a false comfort with our gestures. Gestures are not giving up, they are motions that are easy to do. Letting go means releasing from the heart and hand. Sometimes this is especially hard when the object of our releasing has our affections.

Our children are on loan.  As a mother of adult children, I've seen the importance of releasing them back unto HIM.  Now, in His Hands they will learn more, than if they were still in our grip.  This type of releasing, happens in prayer.  Trusting more in His ability to move on their hearts, than in my words.

"Offer up to God all pure affections, desires, regrets, and all the bonds which link us to home, kindred, and friends together with all our works, purposes and labors.  These things, which are not only lawful, but sacred, become then the matter of thanksgiving and offering memories, plans for the future, wishes, intentions; works just begun, half done, all but completed; emotions, sympathies, affections, --all these things throng tumultuously and dangerously in the heart and will.  The only way to master them is to offer them up to HIM, as once ours (now) under HIM, always His by right."  ~H.E. Manning

"The full acting out of the self's surrender to God therefore demands pain: this action, to be perfect, must be done from the pure will to obey, in the absence, or in the teeth, of inclination".

~C.S. Lewis

"What songs do my children see me singing, when life takes a turn to what appears to be unplanned and chaotic? I’m learning a new way to spell faith; SURRENDER. I can only sing with David “…lead me to a rock that is higher than I…” as I’ve learned to release to my Heavenly Father all the things I do not understand. This is a place that is unmovable, unchangeable and a steadfast love that holds me, when I see nothing “physical” to hold on to. We give our children an immeasurable gift, when we ourselves willingly embrace all that the Father gives, in both pain and joy, when we are on schedule and when all our plans have been interrupted. It’s easy to dance to the melody of joy, but how are we doing when the minor keys flow?" Taken from Musical Beds