Letting go and hanging on

Now that school is out, and I don't have a job for the summer, I find that I have plenty of time to ponder things.  I know, scary!  I commented to a friend today how one small thing can really derail us when we have alot of other things going on in our lives.  Since I said that, I've been thinking that sometimes small things are big things and that sometimes letting go is a way of holding on.  Let me see if I can explain.  Sometimes that one small thing, when added to a pile of other things, is all the push you need to move in a new direction.  Maybe the direction that God has been trying to get you to move in for some time now.  I also realized that as hard as it is for people like me to let go, sometimes you have to let go of something to make room for something else that God has planned for your life.  Maybe His plan involves a gift for you.  Maybe His plan involves you being a gift for someone else.  Either way, his plan is always the best plan.  Sometimes the things we have to let go of are things or people that we love.  Sometimes businesses have to close.  Friends and family members have to move away or, even worse, they may pass away.  Sometimes the things that we have to let go of are not things that we love, but they are equally hard to let go of for some crazy reason that I don't quite understand.  I'm talking about things like bitterness, anger and unforgiveness.  We hold onto these things even when we know they are no good for us.  We hold onto them and allow them to take up space in our heart that should be filled with fruits of the spirit.  Things like kindness, love and patience.  We hold onto them and allow them to come between us and the ones that we love.  A brother.  A sister.  A mom.  A dad. A friend.  The list could go on and on, but you get the picture.  Life is too short.  Spend some time with God today.  Ask Him what you are holding onto that you need to let go of.  Letting go of whatever it is will allow you to hang on to something that will mean much more to you when your life, or the life of someone you love, comes to an end.  Until next time....letting go and hanging on with both hands!