You can see what is going to happen.
The guy in the parking lot is carrying a lot of stuff. Too much stuff. Under each arm and in both hands. As long as he doesn’t lean too far side to side, forward or back, he will keep his balance. But he’s starting to lose his grip. Instead of stopping to get a firmer one he just walks faster in hopes of getting to his car in time.
He makes it, but instead of setting all the bags down on the trunk while he pulls keys out of his pocket, he chooses to hang on to the two under his arm and the one in his left hand. That’s when his juggling act luck ran out.
Clean up in the parking lot.
Watching from a distance, it looks like a no-brainer. Set the bags down, dude. Free up your hands. But he thinks he can hang on to it all and still make it work.
Sound familiar?
In a recent phone conversation with a friend, he related some of the overwhelming challenges their organization has faced in recent years. Circumstances that made him feel inadequate to the task at hand. God-sized problems that required a God-sized solution.
In sharing, he said something profound. “I prayed. I said, “God, make me big enough to let go of whatever it is that’s making me too small to handle this.”
Wow.
“God, make me big enough to let go of whatever it is that’s making me too small to handle this.”
Could it be that in our insistence on trying to carry it all, we’re making ourselves too small to handle the task at hand? Could it be that our refusal to let go is what’s keeping us from attaining the results and stature God desires for us?
God, make us big enough to let go of our pride that makes us too small to be genuine leaders.
God, make us big enough to let go of our grudges that make us too small to forgive and forget and forge ahead.
God, make us big enough to let go of our selfishness that makes us too small to be generous with others.
God, make us big enough to let go of our self-sufficiency that makes us too small to enjoy the blessings you want to give us.
God, make us big enough to let go of our arrogance that makes us too small to live and love with humility.
What are you holding on to that’s making you too small to handle your situation?
Ask God to make you big enough to let go of whatever it is that’s making you too small.
Then watch what God will do with your freed up hands.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke on you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and my load is not hard to carry.”
– Matthew 11:28-30
Todd A. Thompson – July 14, 2009
