Trying, puffing and panting a bit, he rocks back, grinning with pride, eyes wide at his achievement. He examines the wonder of a pair of rubber boots on his feet, each somehow on the correct foot, all shiny and new. Look at me, his eyes smile. I did it!
We smile indulgently as toddlers discover how to achieve new skills. Putting on (and taking off) their own clothes and footwear by themselves is a sign of burgeoning independence.
Life is all about trying new things, especially for toddlers. They have many obstacles before them on the path to becoming able and capable of helping themselves.
As adults, we can cling too tenaciously to the safe and familiar, afraid of the very real risk of failure. Or hold too tightly to what we know instead of opening ourselves up to things beyond our comprehension.
Much of life consists of aspects of trying, holding and releasing.
[bctt tweet=”The key thing is having wisdom and insight to know what to hold onto and what to relinquish.”]
Thankfully, God gives them to us freely when we ask Him.
My grandson’s latest pet phrase is, “You do it; I can’t do it!” His weary parents may sigh at times because of his perceived need of help, while steeling themselves for the next likely stage whereby he will insist on doing everything himself whether competent or not.
What I love about the way he seeks help is his utter confidence in his parents’ ability to meet his requests. There’s no hesitation as he approaches them, only an expectation of being received with wisdom, guidance, kindness, love – and hopefully, patience!
How does this relate to our grown-up world? I see a tendency in me to cling tightly to safe and familiar, to hold hard onto God as my soul’s anchor and refuge, and to struggle sometimes to know when to release and let go of things. Maybe you do too?
Reassuringly, we can have every confidence in approaching our heavenly Father and being met with His unconditional love….
Please come over and read the rest at the Association of Christian Writers (ACW) ‘More than Writers’ blog where I’m sharing this post as my monthly guest contribution. You can click here to join me there…
PS: My usual five-minute-friday post will hopefully be resumed next week. Sadly, I’ve become too weary to join in today. Thank you for your grace.
Words of Joy 
This is beautiful, Joy. We truly need wisdom and insight as to what to hold onto and what to let go. This is scary to carry out, but oh, so true – “God wants us to be open to trying new ways of living more fully and freely by His grace.” May we be open to His call on our lives, whatever it may be. Blessings and hugs to you!
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Trudy, I share your thoughts of feeling scared about the way we are called to live more fully and freely by God’s grace. The key thing to cling to is that it is “by His grace” alone. We cannot muster up the courage we need to fly. Thankfully, God not only initiates and invites us to live like this, He also provides the safe arms holding us as we wobble our way into new things. I see you being true to the calling on your life as a writer, and it’s beautiful to behold. Rest in the Lord as you stretch those wings, dear friend. Have a blessed weekend!
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Loved this post. Children can give us such beautiful insight into what it is to become a child before God. I particularly appreciated this kernel of wisdom: “What I love about the way he seeks help is his utter confidence in his parents’ ability to meet his requests.” Now that is what our Heavenly Father offers us and yearns for us to take ahold of. Oh how amazingly blessed we are.
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Yes they definitely can, Anna. I see it more when observing my grandson at a distance as such rather than being an overly busy, harassed mum! Time offers us a fresh perspective. The more I lean into God’s love the more I see my need of it and how being so dependent on Him is actually a state of grace. Thanks for stopping by!
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Ha: “rather than being an overly busy, harassed mum!” Thank you for that….that’s me all too often! But God keeps pulling me back to rest and behold them, so I can see Him: His Love and yearning for me.
Such truth here: “The more I lean into God’s love the more I see my need of it and how being so dependent on Him is actually a state of grace.” Have been experiencing the same.
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Anna, we may be at separate ends of the mothering spectrum but we do have a shared understanding of the demands motherhood makes on us. I can see why people say they wished they could have had their grandchildren first because we begin to get an idea of slowing down and relaxing by then, of savouring the small moments that are so special with hindsight. I feel we are kindred souls in our search to experience more of God’s love and express it to others.
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I feel the same way: just love reading what you write! Christ is SO evident in you. And that is so incredibly beautiful.
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I think we are the last to know or see when God’s light shines out of us. Maybe you notice it because of the multiple cracks which allow His light to filter through. Brokenness has been my default state for years and probably always will be to some extent or other as I journey toward greater healing and wholeness. Because God is slowly restoring all of us to the image of His beloved Son. I love the way God has connected us and can attest to seeing His love in you and your beautiful words. Thank you for this sweet conversation. Bless you, friend.
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