“In the day of my trouble I call upon you, for you answer me.” Psalm 86:7

Three Simple Lines

I saw a quote recently that spoke to my heart:

Surrender to what is.

Let go of what was.

Have faith in what will be.

It seemed like a dozen thoughts raced through my mind all at once as I read those three simple lines. I think in many ways they sum up my long unexpected journey!

In the midst of a hard time, I’ll never get through it if I don’t “surrender” to the hard time that has come into my life. If I fight it—resist it—it doesn’t go away, it just becomes harder to survive. I have to embrace what God is allowing to come into my life. The only way to navigate through “what is” is to give myself into God’s loving care, and trust Him for the grace to make it through the trial.

I also have to “let go” of what was—what used to be—if I’m to make it through the hard time I’m facing. I can’t hang on to the way things used to be. I miss Floyd—his love, warmth, friendship, leadership, wisdom, encouragement, and support. I need all those things in the midst of the trial I’m walking through! But I have to let go of what was, and dig deeper into the resources God has for me to survive without those things I’ve relied on for over 50 years. God is providing everything I need right now, but I have to let go of what was in the past.

And I have to have faith in “what will be.” Jeremiah 29:11 says that God has “plans to prosper me and not harm me, plans to give me hope and a future.” I have to have faith in what God has in store/what will be in my life. I can’t see the future—I can’t imagine what it might be without Floyd, without our previous way of ministering and doing things. All I can do is have faith that God is in control and has a plan. It will be different, but I can trust that God will give me fresh hope for what is ahead, what will be.

God is so very faithful! I can follow the plan of these three simple lines because of who He is. He will be holding my hand, keeping me in His grip, and guiding me step by step.

“Father, I declare that Your promises are abundant. You help me as I surrender to what is, let go of what was, and have faith in what will be. You are exceedingly faithful! I trust You without reservation. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”