Let Go and Let God

When I visited a Costa Rican beach, I was fascinated by the effects of the tide on the landscape. My meditation spot was by a small stream fed by the ocean. Depending on the ebb and flow of the tide, the stream widened and narrowed. I found it quite peaceful to watch the water ripple past. More enjoyable was listening to the burbling of this stream. But just feet away, the ocean waves crashed against the rocks, often drowning out the stream’s song. For two days, I repositioned driftwood in an effort to make more ripples and to magnify the burbling.

On the second morning of me trying to manipulate the stream’s music, I had an AHA moment. I needed to “let go and let God.”

Instead of enjoying what God had created, I had dared to control and alter His works. Instead of appreciating what He had given to me, I had insisted on imposing my will. Needless to say, my manipulations were not successful. I could not recreate those ripples nor amplify the burbling. I finally realized that my interventions were not needed. God had already created the perfect environment for me. I had no need to make more ripples. I could hear the quiet burbling stream even with the constant crescendo of waves breaking on the rocks if I sat quietly.

As I sat with this stream, I remembered the prophet Elijah who hid in a cave in Mount Horeb. God commanded Elijah to come out of the cave to witness the Lord’s presence. As Elijah stood out on the mountain, a mighty wind blew tearing the mountains apart and scattering rocks. A great earthquake followed. Then, there was a fire. In our conditioned minds about monarchies, we expect kings to come with much fanfare—trumpets, drums, fireworks. While God may appreciate fanfare, He does not need it; He was not in the wind nor earthquake nor fire. God appeared before Elijah in a still small voice. (1 Kings 19:11-12)

The burbling stream, not the crashing waves, was that still small voice for me. It required me to “be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him.” (Psalm 37:7 NIV)

• I had to sit still rather than interfere. As long as I was interfering with the stream, my focus was more on my efforts to control the stream rather than on my appreciation of God’s presence in that instance.
• I had to listen with intentionality. I had to focus my attention on the small voice of the stream rather than the environmental noises that tried to drown it out. With patient effort, I could tune out the loud noises and hear God.

As I look back in my journal from that trip, I realize that when I “let go” of manipulating the stream and “let God” speak as He wanted, I did get a clear message from Him. I heard His quiet voice.

Reflection: Is there a time when you wanted to hear from God, yet tried to impose your will? How did you let go of your will and let God speak?

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, forgive my impudence. I bow down before you honoring you as El Shaddai. I ask that you continue to speak to me as you deem best. Thank you, God. Amen.