I Give Up
There is this guy.
I LOVE what he is doing.
I want to be a part of that thing he is doing.
I have told him I would do anything for him and his project.
I need to call him up today and tell him I am smoking crack.
In this season of life there is no way I am going to be able to be anything more than a royal disappointment to him and his vision.
I need to give up.
And sometimes giving up is more noble than fighting like crazy to hang on.
And you need to give up too.
What do you need to let go of that you are fighting like hell to hang on to?
Los
RAIN IT DOWN
I am Giving Up the on thinking I know whats best for me, and giving it over to the one who does!
I’ve been really cutting back on the things I say yes to lately (not so much ‘giving up’ as much as not agreeing to it in the first place). It’s been absolutely freeing, and totally frustrating.
I believe I need to give up on my relationship and hold onto my faith to see me through the heartache.
“I am smoking crack” Figuratively, of course… right?!
Okay that’s SOME GOOD STUFF… true and humbling to realize our end-ness. Going to find mine to let it go
I need to give up smoking crack. So hard to quit.
Give up? Trying to figure out – plan – what God has in store.
Thinking I can do it all on my own.
Great thought. What because of me is being held down like an anchor? http://powaypastor.wordpress.com/2009/10/20/what-am-i-holding-on-to/
I need to give up on the church plant we planted 4 years ago.
i need to give up thinking i will never find a pastor who won’t hurt me
I need to give up on being Super-Wonder-Work-At-Home-Mom and just be who I am and do what I can. I give up on the pressure to have a picturesque home, a pristine princess of a daughter, a cookbook-worthy menu and a perfect marriage, all while giving all I am to the ministry to which I’m called.
I need to give up thinking that Love is going to walk into my life and tell me “I’m here for you. Take me. It’s all going to be alright.” Love is work. Love takes time. Love is something that has to be learned, earn, and nurtured.
I need go to give up: WORRY.
My fear that I’m going to miss God somewhere along the way.
Weird, huh?
I need to give up trying to do it all and let God have it. He is in control but I always want to help.
Sometimes I think I need to give up trying to be ‘that guy’
I need to give up my attachment to the church I’ve spent the last 20 years in. I can’t make them adapt and grow. Am I wasting energy there that God would have me use elsewhere?
WOW. hum…I say yes to much for sure. I really do what to do all the things I say yes too BUT really there just isn’t enough time. There are days I want to give up fighting for what I believe. I feel very alone sometime but then I realize that is arrogant and I need to be patient, educate and leave the results up to God. As a passionate person, it’s hard to not give up on thinking people can change. But I know they can. and even if they don’t that’s not my problem. Everyone says “why you got to stir the pot?” not giving up but finding the GRACEFUL balance is where I’m at…to not have to be right but to speak up against injustice, not easy for me.
In the last 48 hours, God has been weighing on my heart… I have given up on thinking “making it” or “being known” for what I do in ministry defines me or is my worth. Changed my blog from my personal name to what God is doing through my life and pointing it to Him. Very freeing. Thanks for this post. Love it.
I need to give up thinking that I can actually be a full-time Worship Pastor, AND run a growing online-ebusiness, AND operate a blog and TheWorshipCommunity.Com AND be available in my studio for production work, AND write songs, AND record my instrumental album, AND be a good husband and father, AND enjoy free time and recreation – all at the same time.
Step 1 – hire someone to take over my e-biz. Done.
Step 2 – leave it all and get away for fresh perspective. Done (compassion trip to Peru last week)
Step 3 – close this laptop, get off internet, and write a SONG or MELODY or THEME instead of a stupid blog post that nobody probably reads anyway (trapped)
Step 4 – call my gorgeous wife and tell her how awesome I think she is and how incredible of a mother she is … (on the way)
Jen C– my wife and I found ourselves in the same situation as you. We were in the same church for 13 years and despite our best efforts and commitment the church wasn’t growing (I’m not just talking about numbers). I can’t tell you what’s right for you, but I’ll offer this: It was very hard to walk away from something we’d dedicated most of our energy and resources to, but in hindsight it was the right move for us. Sometimes you get so wrapped up in something or so attatched to it you can’t hear God saying “you’re done here”
I need to give up the picture of success that I have set for myself and find what God’s picture of success for me is. I need to give up the desire for the ministry position, and just have the desire for the ministry.
I need to give up the protection of the good job and I have and follow Him to ministry like He has been telling me too
I need to give up trying to fight for myself and let God fight for me in some things I’m praying about.
Giving up on those addictions that I used to fill the voids of those who turned their backs and walked away. I have a new life in Christ with my family who are always there!
I need to give up the feelings that I wrestle with in my head and hold onto what God is teaching me everyday and the plans He has for me.
I need to give up my fears and anxiety, and dive deep into God’s grace and mercy…
All I want to say is I LOVE your family pictures.
Voyeur? Nosey? Weird? Yes, yes, yes.
I need to give up my idol of wanting others to think I’m the greatest,coolest guy. I’m finding I am the most self-absorbed person I know.
I need to give up spitting out the window of my car. My 4 year-old rolled down his window last night and mimicked me. Ugh.
@The Bishop – Maybe your satellite needs to be replanted? Check out The Resurgence.
http://theresurgence.com/series/replanting
@Scott Clayton – love your words. I need to give up my self-absorbed lifestyle too. That would honestly be at the top of my list.
I need to give up trying to be in control of things. I need to give up on my discontentment with my job as I try to start a church. I need to give up on others so that I can hang onto my family.
Thanks Los
I need to give up “the plan” and live in the moment. I don’t want to miss a moment with my kids. I have caught several this week and am laughing it up with them or my husband.
Oh this was so timely Los. Thank you for reminding me that it was OK to give up on the thing I was foolishly and desperately holding onto. Having let it go – I’ve run into lots of people who don’t agree with my decision and I am trying to hold onto the peace that I have in knowing my decision was right for my family even though it may not have been best for my career OR my church. Thanks.
Proud of you!
I did give up crack and I took back my life. I give up trying to control my relationship with the man I love and I will do my best to stop trying to help God do it my way and just let Him do it His way.
Eric,
I have thought about that. But I’m wrestling with what God wants to do with it. My heart breaks for our city. 255,000 people, of which 50,000 are followers of Christ. We are one of the largest unreached counties in Texas. And while we’ve seen many come to faith in the last 4 years, they don’t seem to stick. Some go off an plant, some go off to a church with child care, and some just disappear. I’m at my whit’s end. Maybe if I stopped fighting so hard to make it go, and give up on it, God can finally do what He wants with it.
@Pete – thank you for sharing that. I’m actually 27 years old, and minus the two years in there that my husband and I were pastoring elsewhere, I’ve been attending this church. I have seen soooo many changes and so many blessings here and my heart aches when I can see the blessings waiting in the future, but the leaders cannot.
I am torn between a desire to help here and a desire to fit into a church family. Thanks again for sharing, I’ll be praying for God to help me let go when it is time.
ouch. that hit me tonight. run down & tired. thinking of “when this week is over I’m going to be so glad” instead of enjoying all the AMAZING things in the next 96 hours. WOW. thnx.
Talked to my cut to the chase, hilarious aunt who, after hearing 2 sentences of my classic schpeal, states: So, what have you said no to?
ouch again. nothing this week. 2 ouches in a day.
Good call dude. I’ve had to do this many, many times and it is never easy.
But to ‘keep trucking’ when it doesn’t make sense is really just pride.
Deep down, it’s the belief that God needs you to do this thing because nobody else is going to do it as well as you or the right way without you…
If God wanted you to be a part of this thing, then you would.
Obedience is always the way to go!
i need to give up “me” in “me”nistry.
About a month ago I had such a vivid dream – hanging on desperately at the bottom of a very long ladder and knowing there was a long way down to the “bottom” if i let go. a voice kept saying “jennifer, just let go, I’m here” and i kept saying “i can’t, i’m scared, i can’t, it’s too far, i’m scared” and still the voice calmly and firmly said back “jennifer, let go, I’m here, it’ll be okay, you HAVE to quit trying to be in control of EVERYTHING” and finally i let go and these strong loving arms wrapped around me and i KNEW it WAS and IS okay and will be okay. i try to remember to let God catch me, to let go of the stupid ladder and he’ll take care of the important stuff and i need to hear that voice in my heart.
i know that God was speaking to me through that dream and this is only the second time i’ve talked about this dream…weird and ashamed that i haven’t shared it more.
I need to Give Up on:
-pursuing music within the confines of what someone else set in place for me
-quite possibly a relationship
-expecting to get married any time soon, that doesn’t need to be anyone’s burden but God’s
-sabotaging myself creatively (thank you Jon Acuff for the celestial two by four called the War of Art).
@The Bishop:
having to let go of a church plant is a huge ouch. I saw my former pastors go through that and it is not an easy process. It almost feels like a divorce. However hard the decision, something will be resurrected on the other side of it. Just wanted to encourage you in your courage to make that decision.
May I remind you of your tattoo and what it says? pray! =) Simply a friendly reminder.
Los, I stumbled upon your blog several weeks ago, and I’m so glad I did! I just wanted to let you know that you are are a huge encouragement. I dig the way you think, and the way you live. Keep it up.
this is random and off-topic, Los….but have you ever told what your left forearm tattoo is of? I don’t believe I’ve ever read any explanation, and I’ve always been curious.
Oh, and I need to let go of not trying to say “No” so I can love my wife like Christ loves the church.
The tat is the Korean word for pray/prayer.
i need to let go of believing that its wrong for me to accept compliments, thats its not alrite for me to think that i’m more than capable at what i do and i do have days where i dont look too bad. for so long self-inflicted labels have just been who i am so much so that i’v been afraid of who i might be without them. but you no what, i’m covered in the blood, Jesus has saved me and day by day renews and restores, the adhesive i used is loses its grip and the labels wash away. i’m full on ok with that. i am not who i was, i am who i am the great I AM.