“At birth, all people are soft and yielding.  At death, they are hard and stiff.  Live plants are tender and yielding.  At death, they are brittle and dry.  When hard and rigid, we consort with death.  When soft and yielding, we are followers of life.” – 76th verse of the Tao Te Ching

“Be still in the presence of the Lord and wait patiently for Him to act.” – Psalm 37:7 NLT

“My soul, waits silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him.” – Psalm 62:5 NKJV

“The master allows things to happen.  She shapes events as they come.  She steps out of the way and lets the Tao speak for itself.” – 45th verse of the Tao Te Ching

One of the starkest contrasts between our mortal being and our spiritual nature can be found in our need to control versus our ability to simply allow – letting the natural flow of life’s events take us places without resistance.

We are instinctively driven to make decisions, influence outcomes and set a course that heads in any direction we determine.  Our God-given gift of free agency is something we cherish, yet never want to question.  We make choices and chart courses that fit our own agendas – never giving much thought to the real purpose of our lives and the natural flow of things – taking us places we NEED to be and experiencing things we MUST encounter here.

But allowing versus controlling is difficult.  Who wants to suffer patiently, waiting for things to unfold in a natural way?  Who wants to set aside their own desires long enough to see what God has in store?  Who wants to admit that human choices can be flawed, tainted, and not always perfectly timed?  Who has strong enough faith to wait as long as it takes for God to move, to open up the right doors, and to acknowledge His “perfect” plans for us?

Here is today’s gut check:  How skilled are you at the spiritual art of allowing?  How good are you at “stepping out of the way” as Lao Tzu suggests above and letting God do the directing?  What critical areas of your life RIGHT NOW are caught between the ideas of controlling and allowing?  Do you have the courage it takes?  Can you see the wisdom found in the yielding nature of allowing things to unfold naturally?

But is it really that courageous – if we have unshakable faith in God – knowing He will act in our behalf?  Does it really take much wisdom to see that an omniscient God knows the best way forward versus our limited, human perspective?

Can you see how much our basic beliefs about who God is, why we are here, and His deeper purposes for our lives are at the center of this conflict? 

This world, our ego, and our biased, personal choices can become our sole compass.  People truly believe that “God helps those who help themselves.”  – falsely claiming this as a Scriptural-based belief.  It is a quote attributed to Benjamin Franklin – not found anywhere in the Bible.

In fact, the Scriptures are filled with verses imploring us to patiently wait on God, to trust in His ways and timing, and to continually connect and listen to the Spirit within us.

Lao Tzu teaches us that life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes – reminding us that resisting them only creates more sorrow.  He says, “Let reality be reality.  Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like” – letting the Tao (God) lead and direct the course of things in a way that is best for us and others.

Tonight, I want you to think about a weight or burden you carry.  It might be about a relationship, a job situation, or an important personal goal you have.  Maybe it surrounds a physical relocation or a new direction you want to take.  It might be an urge to get personally involved in something – swaying its outcome or manipulating the results in your favor.

When it comes to this thing, do you have the courage and the wisdom to ALLOW it to unfold naturally?  Will you faithfully hand it over to God – believing He will direct your path?  Can you resist the urge to act quickly on your own?  Will you patiently wait to benefit from an all-knowing God who is lovingly leading you toward what is BEST suited for you and your destiny?

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not rely on your own understanding.  Remember the Lord in everything you do, and he will show you the right way.” – Proverbs 3: 5-6 GNT

“Wait for the Lord.  Be courageous, and He will strengthen your heart.  Wait on the Lord!” – Psalm 27:14 ISV

“God has a reason for allowing things to happen.  We may never understand His wisdom, but we simply have to trust His will.” – Unknown Author