“Pastor Freddie,” I told my father in Christ over the telephone today. “I did some writing a few days ago. God has really shown me that I need to completely let go of something in my life.” I proceeded to tell him what it was.
Pastor Freddie, who has spent the past month since miraculously surviving the Haiti earthquake racing back and forth between two nations to minister God’s love wherever He goes, must be exhausted beyond measure. How could he not be? But still, he took the time to talk to me, patiently, in love.
“Lara, I could have told you that you needed to let that go,” he replied with his usual kindness.
The fact of the matter is that over the past 13 months, as he has heard me in numerous telephone conversations struggle with what I would not release to the Lord, he never pushed, pressured, judged, criticized, coerced, manipulated, or controlled. He simply loved – and pointed me continually to the Lord and His Word. He did not try to be God in my life. He merely directed me to God so God Himself could tell me what I needed to hear – and do.
Then the Lord gave me a new nugget of wisdom through the heart and mouth of Pastor Freddie.
“It’s not a leap of faith you need to take,” Pastor Freddie told me. “It’s a step. That’s all you have to take. A step.”
Wow, I thought to myself. I have always heard the expression “leap of faith”. And, of course, I have always expected myself to do more than I could – and more quickly than I was capable. And I was almost always disappointed.
“I’m not sure if God is going to call me to take the big action that the other person involved has chosen not to do so far,” I shared with Pastor Freddie.
“You don’t need to worry about that today,” he reminded me. “Just a step, that is all you have to take,” he told me simply.
If only we could all remember that walking by faith is step by step – rather than by leaps and gallops and bounds.
Today I received my reminder, and I pass it on to you.
Let go. Step by step. Holding the hand of the Lord as He leads us all forward.