It would be mighty foolish not to mention dangerous and potentially deadly for a man to let go of the reins of his horse drawn carriage and not carefully control and direct the horses and his ride in the carriage, wouldn’t it? Well it’s the exact opposite when it comes to reins and us human beings. It is mighty foolish not to mention dangerous and potentially deadly for us to hold on to the reins and try to control our lives and other people and the world around us!
Trouble is sometimes we in our pride, fear, rebellion, lust for the pleasures of this life, and any and all other sins hold onto the reins and try to live apart from the lordship and leadership and wisdom of the Lord Jesus Christ. We try to be in control! And, oh, what a mess of things we make!
What is the root of all this? Perhaps we are afraid God won’t do a good enough job. Perhaps we are afraid things won’t go our way. Perhaps we think we know best not God. This is all sin we must purge from our lives. No matter our reasons, we must, must, must let go of the reins. We must let go of control and hand it over to the Lord!
What is the starting place? To put our trust in God, to cry out to Him in prayer, to be filled with and led by His Holy Spirit, to read and live by the Bible, to hear Him and obey Him, and to follow Him as His Holy Spirit leads us forth. To yield ourselves to the loving, merciful, all-powerful wisdom and control of the Lord!
Holding onto the reins of your life? Trying to be in control? Trying to control others, your circumstances, situations, the world? Please let go of the reins and hand them over to God! Don’t live according to your plans and the world’s ways! Live according to God’s ways and His plans and purpose for your life! Oh, cry out to God! Pray! Pray and let go! And keep on praying! Amen!
“Thus says the LORD: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man And makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the LORD. For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, And shall not see when good comes, But shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, In a salt land which is not inhabited. “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.” Jeremiah 17:5-8 NKJV
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV
“For You are my rock and my fortress; Therefore, for Your name’s sake, Lead me and guide me.” Psalms 31:3 NKJV