Shaking Things Up

What a great week I have had! Things have slowed down since the 50th celebration is finally over. One day this week we got to paint tribal designs on our faces and then made a video to promote our outreach. We had a DELICIOUS dinner Wednesday, which consisted of cheeseburgers, bbq sauce, and bacon, plus we had watermelon and then doughnuts for dessert. Another day we got to go to the park to play soccer. Another time a few of us were walking back to the base in the rain and we had umbrellas but then we decided to close our umbrellas and just embrace the elements. It was raining really hard…we ran through puddles and got splashed by cars, all for the sake of laughter and allowing ourselves to be carefree for those 15 minutes. It has been such a great week for me. I feel like I have been able to relax a lot and just enjoy myself. I wonder if it’s because of the activities of my week. But then I think about something God did this week and I can’t help but believe that that’s what has made all the difference.

There is a verse I learned recently and I really love it. It’s Hebrews 12:27 and it says, “The words "once more" indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.” When I read this verse I started thinking about what it would look like to allow God to shake all the things out of my life that are not of Him. It’s not always material possessions; sometimes it can be people or even plans you have for yourself. It’s a bit of a scary thought. I think it represents true dependence on God if someone prays this with a genuine heart. When we ask God to remove the things that cannot be shaken we give Him permission to strip us of all the things that are not of Him. The things that remain, the things which cannot be shaken, should be the things God has placed in our lives, especially a relationship with Him. To pray that prayer means to give God permission to potentially wreck your world. Sometimes it feels good to be able to hold onto things. It’s comforting to feel as though we’re in control of things, or at least something. But I know that it’s far better when I give God control over every area of my life. The more I thought about this verse, the more I realized that I really do want to be in a place where I can say that I am holding on to absolutely nothing except the love of Jesus Christ; and that very thing is more than enough for me! It’s the one thing that no one can ever take from me. So I decided to ask God to shake the things that can be shaken so that the things that cannot be shaken will remain. He didn’t take long to get moving on that request, let me tell you! It didn’t take but a few days before I had to let go of a friendship that meant a lot to me. It was a friendship I enjoyed. Someone I could talk to and laugh with at any moment. If you have a relationship with God then you probably know that He answers our prayers in unexpected ways sometimes; and sometimes His answer isn’t always the one we want to hear. The funny thing was that I started recognizing in my heart that I needed to cut off that friendship and I was so sad, and then I remembered what I had prayed and I couldn’t help but laugh. I don’t know why I sometimes think I can get away with things; like I can justify things to myself and God isn’t going to catch on. Obviously He’s aware but I think sometimes He waits for us to show an interest in hearing what He has to say. In saying that, I’m saying that I had a feeling for awhile that this friendship needed to go but I kept justifying it to myself. Anyway, I knew God was answering my prayer and I knew I needed to be obedient…no more justifying anything. Okay, maybe I still tried to justify for a few minutes…after all, God was using me to bring my friend closer to Him. But I knew in my heart that God was answering my prayer and I know it’s not right to ask God to do something and then ignore it when He answers. So I let go. And then I prayed. I prayed really hard, committing my friend to God and asking God to take care of His own child. The day after I chose to obey God I felt so different, so free. Up to that point I had no idea that I was holding onto that friendship.

We should live life with open hands. Go with me here for a second: make a fist with one hand and open your other hand all the way, palm facing up. Whatever we have in our lives, be it materials, relationships, dreams, etc, we should keep all those things in the hand that is open. Don’t hold onto things with a fist. When we hold things that way we don’t give God space to give us new things. So often something pleasing to us comes into our lives and we like it so much that we immediately grab onto it, holding it so tight. The thing is, sometimes God wants to take things from us, and it’s always with good intentions, so that He can give us something even better. (I have a testimony to that, but for the sake of time, I won’t share it now.) What God really wants us to do is stand with open hands before Him and allow everything in our lives to sit openly in the palm of our hands so that He can give and take as He sees fit. The day after I told my friend we couldn’t really be friends anymore, I realized that was a relationship I was holding with a fist and I probably was supposed to have let go of it awhile ago. It wasn’t until I opened both hands and asked God to ‘shake’ my life that I was able to see that He wanted me to let go…and now I’m reaping the benefits. I can honestly say that I don’t think I’m holding onto anything and it feels a little uncomfortable. Sort of awkward, I guess because I feel completely out of control. Yet I have peace knowing that God does have control and He always seems to do a better job than me anyway. This is what it is to live a life of complete surrender.