“Rest in the Lord; wait patiently for Him to act." ~
Psalm 37:7
There’s something irresistible
about monkeys - they appear so sweet and cuddly; almost human in many ways. Eerily so!
In India, where jungles are being cleared to make room for new
villages, most animals adapt and move on.
Not monkeys! Instead of picking
fruit from tress, they scrounge for leftovers.
Even if doors are locked, they’ll break a
window, ransack the kitchen and help themselves.
They attach vases with wide bodies but narrow openings at
the top to window sills. Shelled peanuts
serve as bait. When a monkey smells and
sees the nuts, it reaches into the vase, and tries to remove the tasty treat. But its clenched fist is too wide for the
vase’s narrow neck.
Monkeys are stubborn; they never let go of food once it’s in
their grasp. If the monkey dropped some
peanuts back into the jar, he could have pulled his hand out. So they’re stuck - until an animal control
officer covers it with a burlap bag. Only
then does the monkey release its treasured treat. The little critters are taken deep into
another forest, never returning to the village again. Crazy huh?
Sometimes we’re a lot like monkeys. By refusing to let go of a grudge, worry or
anger, we make ‘monkeys’ of ourselves. We
replay past mistakes over and over in our heads. We cling to frustration and worry about the
future. We hold stress in our minds and
bodies, creating serious health issues.
Somehow, tension becomes the norm.
We should remember three powerful words: ‘Let it go!’
Letting go doesn't mean we don't care. It means we stop trying to force outcomes and behaviors. It means we give up resistance to the way
things are, for the moment. It means we
stop trying to do the impossible and instead, focus on what’s possible.
It also doesn’t mean we give up. Actuality, giving up control of something is a
clear sign of personal courage and trust in God. Prayer is like sending our problem away by
Fedex –
confident that it will “absolutely, positively be delivered.” The Bible is filled with reassurance that all
we have to do is “let go . . . and let God” . . . do what He intended for your
life long ago. And don't tell God how
big your problem is, tell your problem how big our God is.
Lord, when things aren't going the way I
want them to, I forget to stop and ask what you want for me. Help me
to realize that what I desire may not be what is meant for me, or what is best
for me. Amen
