Loving and Letting Go
Are you hurting from the pain of losing a child to the distractions offered by the world? We care and want to pray for you.
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“His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of a man. The Lord delights in those who fear him; who put their hope in his unfailing love” (Psalm 147:10-1).
I am a mother, a wife and a daughter. At times I am a counselor, a listening ear, or a cheerleader. Most importantly, however, I am a prayer warrior who chooses to battle on her knees.
Praying on bended knee is an act of stillness, of submission and trust, for no amount of running interference, offering advice or encouragement will orchestrate the ideal situation.
My son, I was there when you wrestled with polynomials. Shaking your fists in the air, vowing never to take a math related job, I suppressed a smile. Good luck, for math is all encompassing.
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My son, I wasn’t there the moment you cracked the code of math. But I was there for future “aha” moments that boosted your confidence.
Mom, I was there when you struggled with the emotional effects of cancer, succumbing to depression and quarreling with the one who stood by your side for forty-two years.
Mom, I wasn’t there when you and dad finally agreed to work as a team, but I was there to witness the respect, trust and love that was forty-two years in the making.
My cherished husband, I was there when your faith seemed to lose its edge. The zealousness diminished somewhat and the hunger seemed to abate. My heart ached as you wandered this journey alone, restless. I could not fill that void.
My cherished husband, I wasn’t there the day you met the “iron man.” This new friend, a man with solid Christian values, was divinely appointed to cross your path. He is not only an encourager, but has also been encouraged by you. Your friendship is the essence of “iron sharpens iron.”
My youngest son, I was there when you confided of fair weather friends and endured the taunting of those so-called friends because they didn’t have the courage to stand on their own two feet.
My youngest son, I wasn’t there the day you found a reliable, encouraging group of friends at school. But I was there to hear the tales of school fun and camaraderie.
I have trusted God for my salvation; surely I can also trust Him with my prayers for my family in their individual struggles of faith and relationships. I love them enough to let go and give them to God.
I will not always be there. But God will be.
Heavenly Father, You have called us to encourage one another and offer Godly advice. Yet may we also remember that You alone are the source and the solution. May we love enough to let go, thereby inviting You wholeheartedly to have Your Sovereign way.
Question: What or whom do you need to let go and give to God?
About the Author Charlene Friesen
Tags: cancer, cheerleader, counselor, daughter, depression, encouraged, encouragement, mother, praying, son, taunting, wandered
15 Responses to “Loving and Letting Go”
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God bless you, sweet sister, for your loving words! We share a longing for Christ to consume our thoughts and lives, yearning for Him to be reflected in all areas! Not all people are so eloquent as Brandt in expressing their love for the Savior, but, praise be to God, He knows our hearts, and the Holy Spirit translates our love into words worthy of our King!
marilyn,
thank you my friend.
oh, to be where you are.
these are not my words although they convey my thoughts:
Every day more like my Savior,
Every day my will resign,
Until at last Christ reigns supremely
In this grateful heart of mine.
–Brandt
i need to let go and let God take care of my daughterin law we all are still praying for her.
I received God’s offer of salvation 3 years before I lost my precious mother — truly God’s mercy shown to me, for I had worshipped her without any knowledge or recognition of it! When the Lord opened my eyes and my heart to Him, I could see how she had been more treasured to me than Jesus, although I claimed to be a Christian! Your dear mother, kanj, was used by God to set the stage for your spiritual delivery! Our mothers are often our first glimpse of God’s unconditional love for us. I, too, grew up in a ‘secular’ home, where culture and education were esteemed and faith was rarely discussed. Though regular church-goers, even servants in the church, my parents never shared a joy of salvation that overwhelmed me when I believed! I’ve been reassured that their generation was less outwardly expressive about their faith, which I have come to accept, as we really cannot know. But, I can say this, that loving Jesus most releases my heart from the burden of uncertainty, allowing me to trust Him for what is just in His eyes. God bless!
marilyn, as I reflect back to when I was a child, my mother brought up all nine of us as my dad was a very troubled man and was not involved in any of our lives. our home was dysfunctional, our home was secular. but my mother did what she could do to at least ‘introduce’ God in our lives. at a certain age she demanded that we at least try to know what church was about, but we inevitably made our own decisions. she did her best but could not make our choices as well. when my mother passed four years ago(and my father seven), it hit me after she was gone that I was an orphan now. now please keep in mind that this was before I found and accepted Christ in my life. of course, once I accepted Jesus Christ, I knew I was not an orphan, that I was no longer alone, that I had never been abandoned and that I never really did ‘belong’ to either parent. my mother did the best she did, as I am trying to do today. we all may roam at one time or another, but coming home to the Lord, well, there’s no place like it on earth.
I, like you, kanj, have young adult children, whom I have loved and cherished, and must entrust to the Lord for His faithful watchcare and guidance as they venture out in their lives. They are, indeed, the Lord’s, and we have been privileged to be their caregivers for a time. Our daughter married a wonderful Christian man almost 2 years ago, a man for whom I prayed long before their divinely appointed introduction. They live 3 hours away, and our visits are too few, but I know that the Lord is their foundation, and His grace is truly sufficient! Our son, too, is away at college, navigating the choppy seas of faith vs worldly seduction. Though my heart yearns for him to resist Satan’s lures, I cannot make his choices for him. While I am powerless to guard him from temptation and sinful pursuits, I know that the Lord loves him and will pursue him, like a mother follows her wandering child. God knows our ‘mother hearts’ and He recognizes the great burden we carry for our childrens’ wellbeing. It is such a great blessing to know that His love for them is deeper still, and what we cannot do, He can! I praise Him for His abiding love and faithfulness, trusting Him to continue His shepherd watch over our children, wherever they should roam!
This devotional (Loving & Letting Go) couldn’t have appeared at a better time for me (and I see for many others today). I feel that these “messages” appear to us for a reason, not coincidence. God speaks to us in many ways and through many people.
So, thank you.
Thank you for today’s devotional.
Thank you for the devotional to pray for our loved ones.
Hi ladies,
Thanks so much for the encouraging comments.
It’s all about cutting the apron strings! No matter if our children are five or fifty, if we’re newly married or a seasoned couple, there is always the challenge of loving and letting go.
This site is a great means of finding common ground.
Praying for you,
Charlene
thank you Charlene for this devotional today. although faith has been a part of my life for almost two years, it’s just been in these last months that I realized that my adult children(18, 20) are not mine. that they in fact belong to the Lord. with a 18 yr. old son off in college, i was not concerned with the elements in the real world because I know my son as a very good head on his shoulders. he has seen me at my worst and he has seen me for these past two years totally transformed. he knows what’s right, he knows what’s wrong. i was able to let go and let God, or at least I thought i had. he’s a good student, almost done his first year but has experienced the typical camaraderie that I know that there’s nothing I can do about it. so on bended knee, i need to search within and leave once again, my son, to the Lord. i can’t protect him but the Lord certainly can. I will overcome this concern as I know that the Lord hears all prayers.
Hi Charlene,
I am so encourged this morning….this devotional seemed to speak into my life in so many ways. Thanks for the reminder that God is listening and that I can trust Him to be working in the lives of my family. Praying you are all well. Love from here, Donna.
Thank you for your encouragment. I was especially touched by your comments that God provided an “iron man” to help your husband walk closer with God. My husband is in need of such a person.
God bless,
Eve UK
Thank you for the wonderful devotional. It hit my life in so many ways. God Bless
Charlene,
Thank you for such a timely devotional and gentle reminder that many times all God requires me to do is pray. God bless.
Wow, this was just what I needed today. I am struggling with letting go of my 14 year old. I want to put my knowledge of life in his brain so that he won’t have any heart ache! I know he has to learn and go through the pains of growing up and learning to make the right decisions. He has been homeschooled and is now at a christian school. He is trying to make new friends, and is going through the process of finding out who are the right people to be with and who are not. I pray for all kids who have access to the internet and cell phones. We have so many things to teach our children, this has added more things that can lead them astray. I was with a large group of youth over the weekend. They all had their cell phones! It remined me of a baby and a pacifier!