Let God Make a Way by Letting Go of the Past
"Let it go, let it go!"
Anyone who has a small child or knows a small child or indeed anyone who has turned on the radio this year has probably heard of this song from Disney's animated movie, Frozen. It's rather catchy or at least the "Let it Go, Let it Go" part is.
To be honest, this song can get quite annoying and I've even heard some parents have banned their children from playing it in their house! However upon further investigation into the lyrics there are some really great "golden nuggets" that go along with what God's been teaching me lately.
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Firstly, the title, Let it Go! I have been learning this one for a while now and I am continuing to grow in this area but I really do believe it is essential that we let go of whatever has happened in the past and we don't go back and re-live things over and over again. Of course I believe it is important that we learn from our past. However, it does no good whatsoever to mull over what has already been done.
In my personal experience holding onto something is one sure way of inviting anxiety into your life. I have found that if I do go back and constantly go over something that has already happened, something so small turns into something ridiculously big and it steals my joy! The following line from the song says it well:
"It's funny how some distance makes everything seem small, and the fears that once controlled me can't get to me at all." (Disney's Frozen, Let it Go)
I love this line as I believe it is absolutely true. Sometimes we do need to get some distance to realise what we thought was something huge was actually, in reality something small. And by holding onto whatever it is, we are allowing it to steal our joy which keeps us living in captivity instead of living a life of freedom.
And free is how Jesus wants us to be! He wants us to be free of the concerns of this life (1 Corinthians 7 verse 32 ) and he wants to set us free! (John 8 verse 36). So we must learn to let things go!
Looking forward
I love what the word says about looking forward, in particular-
Isaiah 43 verse 18 "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland."
I think this is such a beautiful scripture in encouraging us to forget what has happened in the past so that God can make a new pathway for our lives. Even if we feel like we are wandering around lost in the wilderness God can make a way for us!
And also Proverbs 4 verses 25-26 "Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm."
This is always such a good reminder to me to not dwell on what was or could have been but what is ahead.
The final part of the song I want to include speaks of rising up once we have let things go.
"Let it Go, Let it Go. And I'll rise like the break of dawn. Let it Go, Let it Go. That perfect girl is gone. Here I stand, in the light of day." (Disney's Frozen, Let it Go)
Jo Fuller is an early childhood teacher with degrees in journalism and education. She is currently kept busy by her baby, Isaac and lives in Brisbane with her husband.
This article is courtesy of Press Service International and originally appeared on Christian Today Australia.
