Holding on

I just read an amazing post written by Angie Hook, who just returned from Maria's country with her newly adopted daughter. Please read:

The Orphan Mentality

I have it. I didn't realize I did until Evan came into my life.

We were in the hotel room in Moscow and she was playing with some bottles of water, a plastic cup, and a few paper napkins. It amazes me how she can find a few items and get so much enjoyment out of them. She lined up all the items, then wiped off all the items, then laid all the items down. But then Clark held out a new item and he was across the room.

You could see her look at "her stuff" and then at the new shiny thing. She did this several times. Then the gathering started. First, she picked up the napkins, then tried to hold two water bottles, but she couldn't hold on to the cup. She placed them all down on the floor and looked at the shiny item in Clark's hand - way across the room. She tried again. This time in a different order. It didn't work. She sat down and again looked longingly across the room. She would not leave her stuff. Finally she picked it all up again and was able to get it all in her arms, but the minute she started walking, her stuff started dropping out of her arms. She would not leave her stuff. Clark said to her, "Evan it's just a stuff, paper and water. Come on over here." It didn't happen.

It bothered me that she couldn't leave her stuff to go and see what her Daddy had for her. Her desire to hold on to her stuff was hindering her and it saddened me.

It was at this point that God laid out before me that I too had the same problem. How many times had God asked me to follow Him, asked me to travel in a different direction, asked me to just come and I couldn't because I was holding on to my stuff. My stuff that I think is so important that I can't lay it down and see what my Father has for me. How many of you have missed a blessing because you are holding so tight onto your material things, a job, or a lifestyle - that it is hindering you?

If it saddens me to see how Evan struggles with this, how much more must it sadden our Father?

I hope one day Evan realizes she is no longer an orphan who has to fear letting go of her stuff. I hope the lesson that Evan has taught me will help me to lay down my stuff and go to my Father when He calls me.

 

This is a daily struggle for me. We have been used to cutting back expenses and budgeting for a long time now. But why do I still get obsessed with things?  I still see things I want and am so tempted to have. The Lord has taught me how to depend on Him for our needs and He has always provided, yet I still sometimes try to "prove" my ability to do it myself. 

Thank you Angie for this reminder to let go of the unimportant things and keep our eyes on our Daddy.

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Luke 12:34