Get Off the Monkey Bars - Encouragement Café - June 20

Get Off the Monkey Bars
 By Jamy Whitaker

I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God; on Him I lean and rely, and in Him I [confidently] trust!  Psalm 91:2 AMP

Growing up, I had a love-hate relationship with the monkey bars. I loved the idea of going from one side to the other floating on air. Other kids seemed to effortlessly glide across. While I loved the idea, I hated the feeling when I left the security of the platform to reach for the next bar.

At this point, the reality sunk in, I was too far to reach the platform and yet too scared to let go. It didn’t take me very many attempts to realize that I could not do this in my own strength. I would inevitably become frozen in fear – unable to reach for the next bar or just let go and fall into my parent’s waiting arms.

When you think about my story, you might question why I would hold so tightly to something, even though it was not changing the current circumstances and with my parent right there all along to help me. I just had to let go.

I don’t know about you, but I have found myself in this same situation other times. No, I am not talking about when I was younger at the park with my parents on the monkey bars, but instead the circumstances and struggles and life and my Heavenly Father.

Just like it says in Psalm 91:2, “I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God; on Him I lean and rely, and in Him I [confidently] trust!” (AMP), He is our safe place – our refuge. But in order to keep us safe, we must let go and fully rely on God. In essence, we need to be willing to trade in all our fears for faith in Him.

Some time ago, I suffered from anxiety and panic attacks. If you have never dealt with this it is difficult to explain. I could feel it coming on, but there was nothing I could do to stop it, which made me more anxious – perpetuating the cycle. I have come to learn that true, lasting peace can only come from God. Besides that, in God’s economy the only way to obtain that peace is if we let go.

Just like when I was a little girl on the monkey bars – going it alone, I would struggle, become afraid and possibly get hurt. However, relying on my dad to be my safe place and letting go, I was able to have comfort peace and security.

What are you holding onto today? Let God grant you the peace and refuge you need. Simply let go and fall into His arms. He will not only catch you, but also willingly take hold on the control of your life. Find freedom in letting go.

Dear Heavenly Father, I thank You for the truth found in Your Word. May I allow You to guide me down the correct path and let go of feeling like I need to control everything. Help me to cling to You even when the struggles in life come. I know that You have a perfect plan for me. May I completely surrender to You. In Your Precious Name, Amen.

© 2019 by Jamy Whitaker.  All rights reserved.

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