Release and Trust

Well, alright then, look at you steppin’ up the pathway today! Friend, pull up a real comfy rocker and make yourself right at home. Land sakes, it’s just mighty good to see you moseyin’ up to this ol’ front porch today. If you could smell the biscuits coolin’ on the windowsill and hear that ol’ barn owl over there that keeps fussin’ at the lil’ ol’ squirrels for stealing acorns, you’d know you were in the right place. Let’s settle in for a spell and chew on a truth that’s about as steady as an ol’ mule ploddin’ down a mountain trail. Revelation 22:11 sends a great message, and before I quote it to you, let me tell you that it pairs mighty well with another gem, Proverbs 21:2, which says, “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart.”

Now, friend, that verse from Revelation 22:11 that I mentioned sho'-nuff' may sound strange at first. It says, “Let the one that does wrong continue to do wrong.” Well, mercy me, that sounds like tellin’ an ol’ raccoon to keep rummagin’ through the chicken feed. But the Lord is plum remindin’ us that conviction is His job, not ours. We can holler, fuss, flap our arms like an ol’ Banty rooster that just discovered a hungry lil' ol' fox in the henhouse, but we can’t change a soul. The Holy Spirit handles that part with a precision that makes even the cleverest lil’ ol’ woodpecker look downright clumsy.

We carry such heavy burdens for folks we love. We watch ‘em march down the wrong road like a stubborn ol’ Billy goat that refuses to follow the herd. We think if we just say the right thing or nudge ‘em hard enough, they’ll turn around. But, friend, Scripture plum says otherwise. We have to release ‘em to Him. We’ve gotta be prayin’ for ‘em. We’ve gotta be trustin’ God to weigh their hearts, convict their spirits, and guide their steps. When He convicts, He does it with a tenderness that reaches a whole lot deeper than anything we could even begin muster up.

So today, let’s plum loosen our grip. Let’s sho’-nuff’ become intercessors instead of fixers. Let’s release the Word and release the people, trustin’ that the same God who steers the wind through the oak trees can surely steer a wanderin’ heart back home.

Father, help us trust Your timing and Your power. Teach us to pray faithfully, love gently, and release boldly. Convict hearts in ways only You can. Keep us steady, hopeful, and full of grace as we wait on You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Well, there it is, friend! And as you head on into the rest of your day, carry this here truth like a trusty ol’ lantern that plum refuses to flicker even when the wind kicks up several notches. Let God handle the heart work while you keep on prayin’ with the steady determination of an ol’ farm dog that won’t quit guardin’ the gate. Remember, the Lord knows how to reach folks in ways deeper than any advice we could holler across the fence. Walk forward with a light spirit, knowin’ He’s already workin’ behind the scenes with more skill than a busy, polished carpenter shapin’ a crooked log into something beautiful.

With joy,

Gwen