By
Dana Rausch
/ May 17, 2013
Let go and let God: conviction or cop-out? Hearing this motto for many years always held a negative connotation for me because I usually interpreted it as a cop out. When a person refuses to “own” what he has said or done, it is easy to simply blurt out: let go and let God. Cop out is defined as: when a person fails to assume responsibility for a situation they are involved in. It’s the act of refusing to own up to their part in it. It’s also used to cast blame on others. It is a way of avoiding responsibility or commitment. Finding excuses or justification. Therefore as a cop out, we just sign off the responsibility and let God handle our mess.
· Is it God’s responsibility to handle our mess?
· Is it acceptable to continue doing the same wrong things, then to simply shrug our shoulders and cast the problem off to God?
· Do we have any responsibility for our actions?
To those who use this motto as a cop out I would answer these questions this way:
· It is OUR responsibility to deal with our messes but God is willing to help.
· It is NOT acceptable to continue to do the same wrong things over and over again.
· Yes we should take responsibility because WE reap what WE sow.
Let go and let God as a conviction has a completely different meaning. Personally, I read it as:
Let………….GO!
Let means to: give permission or opportunity to; allow; to cause, to make, to permit to enter, proceed, or depart; to release from as if from confinement.
I make the choice to allow or cause to…… go. I pry my hands open to release the grip on whatever it is that I am holding on to so tightly. It can be anger, hurt, resentment or a relationship that needs to go. It could also be gripping on to old habits, destructive thinking or unforgiveness. Only when we let go…… do we……… Let God.
God does not snatch anything from our hands. We have to give it to him. He is a perfect gentleman. He is more than willing to take what we hand over and make something out of it. But he will never grab it from us. At times I wish He would. It would sure make things easier. Instead of the back and forth game of letting go and then taking it back, He could take it and that would be it. But because I have a free will, it is my choice. I have the free will to choose what I will do. Will I let go in order to let God? Or will I hold on and let Dana?
Similar to letting go….. I have to “let” God. He is willing and ready to take what I am holding onto. It is only after that decision is made and the burden is lifted, I wonder why I waited so long……..
The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. The Lord protects the unwary; when I was brought low, he saved me. Psalm 116:5-6