HEAVEN SERENADES: Yes Father, Here It Is (Again)
(Heaven Serenades are poems that could be read or sung, called Psalms)
A wife sat by her husband’s side as she watched her husband dying of cirrhosis of the liver; he was an alcoholic and wouldn’t get help for his addiction.
A mother and father stay awake endless nights waiting for their teenage son or daughter to come home safely from a night of partying and drugs.
A child hides in the closet or under the covers listening to another night of her parents yelling and fighting.
A sister or brother gets another phone call from a sibling who is in mental anguish and pain because they refuse to take their medication or follow the doctor’s orders.
A friend watches his or her friend suffer because they don’t take their advice to care for their bodies; now they suffer from a chronic or acute disease.
A husband or wife is wearied, sad, and depressed because their spouse refuses treatment or counseling for their addiction, physical, or mental illness. Their home environment has become toxic, negatively impacting the whole family.
You struggle with your weight and the more you do the more frustrating it becomes. You changed your diet, you exercise, and you watch closely what you eat. You are caught in a vicious circle.
Tresca, what do I do with my worries, struggles, and fears? Jesus told me to cast ALL of my worries, struggles, and fears on Him but how do I do that? The flesh makes me believe I can handle life’s situations but it deceives me every time.
The above scenarios are true and there are more; they happen to millions of people all over the world. Struggles, pain, and fears are inevitable in a fallen world where sin and people live. But, I have learned a simple solution that I have shared in my blog before and the Lord is leading me to share it again. Here It Is. Here what is Tresca? This is the answer! Are you ready for the simple answer or do you want the hard one? Here are both.
- Get a sheet of paper.
- Write down today’s date at the top.
- Write down your thoughts and feelings about your loved one or yourself.
- Tell the Lord about how the situation is impacting your loved one or yourself.
- When you are done sharing your heart, write these words: Lord, I am not responsible for this person or my situation anymore… YOU ARE! I am no longer carrying this person, burden, or pain trying to fix them, me, or the situation.
- I ENTRUST AND RELEASE THEM AND MY STRUGGLES TO YOU…HERE IT IS! TODAY I PLACE THEM AND MYSELF INTO YOUR LOVING CARE AND MY CARES CONCERNING ME; YOUR WILL BE DONE. AMEN
I have done this exercise a million times. It has been the only way my soul could find rest and peace in my Lord. When we don’t entrust our lives and the lives of others into the hands of our Lord, we live in the arms of anger, fear, frustration, worry, anxiety, and depression trying to change them or ourselves. We all make very poor choices when we don’t allow Jesus to be “the Boss” in our lives. When we cater to sin and the flesh, not only do we suffer the consequences, also those around us, especially little innocent children.
You may ask, “What do I do now after I have done this exercise?” You wait on the Lord. Now that it is His problem and no longer yours, He can intervene in your heart and your loved one. TRUST HIM!
“Letting Go” is a poem written by an unknown writer I have used in counseling over the years and found it quite helpful in helping others go free from trying to fix people and situations out of their control.
Another little reminder is the song shared several months ago, “Yes Father, Here It Is.”
YES FATHER, HERE IT IS
Copyright © 2005 by Tresca S. Grannum
Father and Lord, life is hard when I don’t turn to You.
I think I can fix things but I see that’s not true.
It may appear I am free because there’s a smile on my face.
But underneath the surface, I am struggling without Your life and grace.
I can figure it out, I have the power, I am in control.
That’s the lie I believed just look at my weary soul.
I have used my ingenuities, You see Lord, at length.
I have forfeited freedom in You living from my own strength.
So, humbly, wholly, at Your feet, I bow.
Forsaking this one thing I so much desire.
I hear you calling me, daily drawing me to let IT go.
So that You can live through me for Your purposes to unfold.
Chorus
Yes Father, Here IT is,
Yes Father, Here IT is,
I thought I could handle IT and make IT work according to my plans.
But now IT rules me, IT controls me, I’m enslaved to ITs’ demands.
In You, I can rest knowing that You are in control.
Only then can I enjoy Your love, grace, and peace to my soul.
Letting Go of the one we love or ourselves is never easy but neither is holding on to them. But rest assured, the one who created them knows how to love them and us in a way we never can. We pray not only for bodies to be healed but our souls. If we don’t find peace or healing for our bodies in this life; I promise you, if we give our hearts to Jesus, in the next one we will.
Enjoy Christ, Enjoy Life!!