Letting Go of Hesitance, Receiving Every Spiritual Blessing

This month we are delving into the character of God and the freedom He brings in a series titled “Let Go and Know.” Jaime posed the question, “What trash are we holding on to, and more importantly, what is it about God that allows us to let go freely?” God is showing me that He is generous with His Spirit, and I can let go of my hesitance to receive the fullness of His every spiritual blessing.

When was the last time you felt hesitant?

Sometimes hesitation is life-saving, like when the speed of the crossing traffic causes me to pause, waiting for a longer gap before making a left turn. But sometimes, hesitation causes us to miss out. Many an athlete has missed a shot thanks to hesitation, and I’ve missed opportunities to encourage someone because I hesitated to speak up.

While the self-restraint of hesitation has an appropriate place in our lives, it can also stand between us and experiencing the fullness of God’s goodness. I wonder if we underestimate God’s generosity in giving us an abundance of Himself.

I set out walking this morning with an anxious heart. As I prayed and sought to give over to God anything that stood between me and His peace, in my mind’s eye I saw myself not far from a flowing river. But there was a steep, rocky ridge between me and the river. That rocky hill was a pile of spiritual disciplines I felt I should have already mastered or character traits I felt I should already be, so that I could really hear from God, really have the abundance of love, knowledge, insight, gifts with which to bless others. I wanted to be there, in that water of spiritual life, right then. But, well, it looked like a lot stood between “here” and “there.”

And then it started to rain.

It sprinkled. And then it poured. I was drenched, with my face turned up and taking it all in.

Friends, I didn’t have to climb of spiritual feats that hill I’d dreamed up, that cut me off from a wealth of God’s blessings. Before I’d mentally even set to asking Him to hold my hand and help me cross the hill to get to into the river, the water just poured out of heaven. I was soaked through, right where I was.

Seriously Blessed

How quickly I forget that God’s Spirit dwells right within me (1 Corinthians 3:16, Ephesians 1:13). God is so extravagantly generous. Paul writes that “He has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing.” Wow.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, Ephesians 1:3

Check out Ephesians chapter 1 for a glimpse into the abundance of his blessings. This morning, these words catch my attention: “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him” (Ephesians 1:17).

With a surrendered, obedient heart, I don’t have to assume that God’s wisdom, knowledge, revelation, or freedom await me only on the other side of a mountain of effort. I wonder what today looks like, when I let go of the hesitation springing from feelings of immaturity and inferiority, and simply receive His abundance.