They look everywhere except to the Most High… (Hosea 7:16a NLT)
How do you “look everywhere except to the Most High”?
When winter hits, even if things are going fairly well, I want to hibernate. This year God is asking me to train. To keep showing up. Even when the pull to hibernate is something fierce.
One of my favorite Christian marriage books for women is Sacred Influence. He regularly reminds his female readers:
My identity isn’t in my marital status. My identity is in Jesus.
Wait. That isn’t what we read marriage books for. We read so our marriage can be better. Not so we can give up!
Oh, friends. So many times He is going to ask us to give things up. Not so we don’t care any more. And not so once we give it to Him, we can have what we want.
But because holding on will destroy us.
Just the other day a friend was telling me how God is walking her through letting go. She has for a long time practiced holding her children with an open hand. Reminding herself that they are God’s, not hers. They are entrusted to her care for now, but they ultimately belong to Jesus.
God has been pushing even more in this area. Her husband also isn’t hers. He belongs to Jesus. And he is not supposed to be her Rock.
The pit in her stomach as she processes this is real.
I can completely relate.
Friends, He asks us to die to ourselves. And death is painful.
I was talking to a very discerning, godly woman yesterday about a ministry area close to my heart. She might have said I have a control problem.
She’s right. I had to open my hands. And I will have to keep opening my hands.
It will hurt.
But He really is The Most High. He is God. And for whatever reason He has to pry open our hands, it will be for our best.
He comes to us gently – but very firmly – and says,
“This is not yours. Give it to Me. Yes, grieve. Now rest. Let Me be God.”