Published: July 1st, 2016
Looking for the easy yoke Jesus promised?
Claim it by giving up.
Keep reading to learn (exactly) how.
We crave control. That’s been part of our nature ever since Eve first reached out for the forbidden fruit. But if we truly want to rest in God’s peace, then we must purpose to let go and let God.
If you’re looking for real help on how (exactly) to find true, lasting results, keep reading. Inside this book, you’ll discover specific, step-by-step ways you can begin to let go of the control you never had in the first place. In short, you’ll learn how to let God do His job so you can do yours—rest in Him.
EXCERPT
'fess up. I've creeped into a dark closet. I creeped because I didn't want anyone else to know I was in there. I even remained silent and still while my husband called my name. I had had it. My heart—and my brain—were nearly broke. I crawled into the dark out of self-preservation. Truth be told, I wasn't hiding from him. I was hiding from our entire situation if only for a second.
It took only a few minutes, though, for me to realize that hiding out in the closet wasn't the answer. (Though, frankly, it didn't hurt for those few minutes either. We all need to get away and catch our breath from time to time.) As I stood there in the dark, I knew that eventually I would have to return to the worries, to the 24/7 work of parenting a child with special needs, to the awful feeling that my best was never going to be quite enough.
But as I pressed my hot forehead against the cool, textured drywall and listened to my husband call out my name, I realized something else too. I wasn't in this situation alone. There was in fact help, waiting and calling my name right outside—right in the middle of the very mess I was trying to run away from. All I needed to do was respond, open the door and receive it. And—wow!—so it is with God too. All we need do is let go. Give up. And give it to Him. Calm really can be found in the middle of our calamity. We just need to stop shouldering it all ourselves, all alone.
It's incredibly easy to fall into the trap of thinking that our lives would be so much better, we'd be so much more at peace, if only we didn't have so many responsibilities, if things were different or if only there were more hours in the day so that we could fit it all in and finally catch our breath. But it's a trap.
It's a trap because there will always be pressure. There will always be stuff that needs to get done. There will always be less than ideal circumstances to manage. The key is to find—and experience—the calm in the middle of the calamity, right where we are and in the middle of everything we're dealing with. This is simultaneously the puzzle and the prize.
About the author:
Shannon Medisky is a leading expert in struggling with stress, screwing up and seeking God in the midst of it all. Sometimes funny but always real, Shannon’s writing is infused with practical ideas designed to help others create positive, real change in their daily lives.
Shannon’s articles, insights and ideas have been featured in Exceptional Parents, Adoptive Families, Hybrid Mom, Mothering and Focus on the Family’s Thriving Family. For the past seven years, Shannon’s also worked as contributing writer and curriculum designer for OneHope, a global nonprofit ministry devoted to sharing the life-changing message of the Gospel with youth and children worldwide.
To learn more, visit or visit her:
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