The front lawn of our new house has a problem familiar to most homeowners – dandelions!
This prolific little weed, so pretty in the spring, with its bright yellow blossom, becomes a nuisance when it goes to seed and starts to spread, taking over most of the lawn. Weed killers can sometimes work, but this is a tough little plant that tends to come back no matter what you do.
I do have to admire the dandelion for one thing – it knows how to let go. If its little seeds clung to the mother plant it would never spread and reach its full potential. It is only by letting go that it can find a place to grow on its own.
It’s the same with you and I. Matthew 16:25 warns, “…whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.”
If we cling to our old way of life, to the familiar, and never take a chance, we will never learn to fly, never reach the full potential God wants for us. We long for a better life, but it’s so hard to let go of the things that hold us back, our old habits, the safety of everyday routines. It’s so hard to trust God and take a leap of faith.
Jesus said in John 10:10, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” God wants us to have an amazing, meaningful, fulfilling life, a life beyond our wildest dreams. But we cannot have this rich and abundant life he wants for us as long as we cling to the things of this life. It is only by letting go of the life we’ve grown accustomed to, that we can find true life, a life that will never end.
What are you holding on to today? Let go! Let go and grasp the life Jesus offers so freely to each and every one of us. Let go and grab Jesus’ hand instead and never, ever let it go! Then, and only then, will you know what it means to be truly alive, to be truly free!