The Wisdom of Letting Go

Twho was in desperate need of help

from God. He knew if God did not help him, there was no other place he could turn to for the predicament he found himself in. He needed a new heart and a new spirit desperately. The above Psalm was written by David, whom God referred to as a man after his heart, but do you know what? David missed it and messed up big time in 2 Sam chapters 11 and 12. Let’s pause a bit and ask ourselves why David was not at the battle field at that time. Was it that he was tired and needed some rest, or was he going through some emotional struggles which no one was aware of, not even himself? How did he find himself in this position as King David of Israel? Why did he have to orchestrate the death of one of his men named Uriah the Hittite, the husband of Bathsheba, whom he laid with and impregnated? What was the reason behind him covering up his tracks? Uriah, as God would have it, did none of the things King David had asked of him.

After all the tricks and seeing that none of them worked, King David, however, handed the letter of death of this innocent man to the head warrior to ensure he was placed in the battle front, and he instructed Joab to retire or retreat from him so that he might be smitten and ensure his death. 2 Samuel 11 vs. 15King David

thought he had it all sorted out; it was neatly executed with no trace of him being involved, but he forgot that there is a God in heaven who sees and knows all things. There’s nothing hidden in his sight. Even if you hide in the deepest of the deep, he’s right there. We have a God who sees everything and nothing can miss his attention.

I once heard a story of two people that planned to go to a place to fornicate. They actually got a hotel room at which they thought nobody would ever know them. On getting there, they looked around to be sure nobody familiar was in sight. After that, they got a room and locked the door securely. But something happened which stopped their plan. The lady told the guy, "We looked all around to be sure nobody knew us here, but we forgot to look up." In other words, nobody might see us, but God sees, and because of this, their plan was thwarted.

Cain felt nobody saw him when he killed his brother Abel because of anger and envy, but God saw it and inquired after him, but Cain said, "Am I my brother’s keeper." Remember that the Lord's eyes roam the entire earth, according to the Bible.God knows and sees all things. Instead of hiding, he expects us to come clean and open up to him. To David’s utmost surprise, God sent his Prophet Nathan to him in 2 Samuel 12, who spoke a parable to him, not knowing he was invariably sending a message from God to him. David, not knowing what the parable meant, started casting the stone, but the Prophet said to him in vs. 7. "Thou art the man." Imagine David’s reaction. He would have been surprised and shocked at the same time. For the Prophet Nathan said in vs. 12: "For you did it secretly." We need to learn from this story: we cannot hide forever and sweep our secret sins under the carpet.

Many people are going through a lot of emotional struggles and developing addictive lifestyles that many of their relatives and friends are not aware of, and they are finding it hard to let go of. These include depression, phobias, sexual addictions, some of which are hooked on pornography, drugs, etc. The good news is that there is help, or should I say, you can be helped from these struggles and addictive lifestyles. You can be free from these struggles. The bible says that he who the son of man has set free is free indeed. You can be free indeed if you go down the right path. Let us take a look at some steps we can take to help us heal from emotional struggles and addictive behaviors.

1. Acknowledge your struggle and weakness: "There is no problem too big that God cannot solve; there’s no mountain too tall that he cannot move; there’s no storm too dark that God cannot calm; and there’s no sorrow too deep that he cannot soothe it." If he carried the weight of the world upon his shoulders, he would carry you. "What addictive lifestyle or emotional struggle are you challenged with right now? Give it to Jesus, allow him to enter that deep place, and he will shine his light in and bring you peace.

2. Be willing to heal: as much as possible, try to open up. Get help and look for someone you can talk to.

3. Accept help from others; he who lives alone will die alone. Don’t be a lone ranger, get a support system and accept support from others too.

4. Speak out and speak up: as much as it lies within you, let people know what you’re going through and don’t keep hurting and hurting yourself.