On a family vacation a few years ago, the boys strapped on roller skates for the first time. Peter, being the adventurer he is, took a few spins around the rink clinging to the wall. Then he was ready to try it without the aid of said wall.
Edmund, our cautious child, likes to be in complete control of himself at all times. Falling is not an option. If he can help it. When he first entered the rink, it was with tiny steps and one hand on the wall at all times. His other usually clutched my hubby’s or my hand.
As Edmund gained confidence in his skills, he stepped a couple paces away from the wall and tried to pick up some speed. He wanted to feel the breeze combing his blonde hair. For some reason, he couldn’t go as fast as he wanted to.
When he turned in his skates, we chatted with the person working behind the counter. After examining the wheels, he discovered that they were very tight, preventing them from rolling quickly. Edmund had complete control over himself, making sure he wouldn’t fall, but he couldn’t speed up when he wanted to.
Sometimes as I live life, I try to control every aspect of it (please note, I did say “try”). Just as Edmund had his motivations for wanting to be in control, so do I. Being out of control scares me. As I think on Edmund’s misadventure, I’m challenged to consider how willing I am to let God loosen the wheels on my life-skates. Can I truly experience the beauty of His leading in my life if I keep a tight grip on the wall? When I try hard not to fall, or have anything “bad” happen to me, I miss out on the freedom of God’s breeze ruffling my hair and filling me with His joy.
When I choose to loosen the wheels on my skates, I will fall sometimes. I may even gain a bruise. But, as I learn to walk (skate) closely with my Father, I can skate a little further away from that “security wall,” trusting Jesus to lead me.
What about you? Have you had an occasion to skate away from the wall, so to speak? Did you do it? What happened?
Jeanne Takenaka 
Um… I keep my skates pretty tight 🙂 I’m learning to let God have control. He usually takes me places far from the wall that I might not have chosen for myself. It’s a beautiful thing.
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It is a beautiful thing, isn’t it, Lisa? Sometimes, it’s the letting go that teaches me more about how to live in the freedom of who God is creating me to be.
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I’ve certainly let go of the wall – but it’s often been a dangerous thing. I’ve hurt myself badly – and sometimes permanently.
Not so much for the consequences, but the in the act of letting go there are both faith and pride mixed. If pride outweighs faith…well, pride goeth before a fall.
On balance, it seems better to control what one can, and at least estimate the odds on everything else. This would seem to fall in line with the Biblical injunctions for wisdom.
Also, we have to be careful to examine Biblical examples of ‘letting go’ from all sides.
Look at David – there were those who called him rash and reckless for shunning a sword and Saul’s proffered armor, when he chose to face Goliath.
But David knew what he was doing. he knew his skill with a sling, and that armor would simply slow him down, while not conferring any real advantages in his chosen mode of battle.
Did he step away from the wall when he walked out to meet Goliath? Sure. But he walked out with true faith, based on God’s grace AND on the gifts God had given him – not a kind of New-Age wishful thinking that everything was going to be all right because his karma was right.
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Andrew, I love your thoughts. For me, I find that sometimes I’m holding onto the “known” when God has asked me to trust Him and move into something unknown. When I’m controlling my life/clinging to the wall in that way, I’m missing out.
However, you’re right in that there are times to count the known costs before jumping into something new. And yes, balance…I love the story of David you shared. Was there risk? Oh yeah. Was God on his side? Oh yeah. That’s walking in trust and confidence in His God. Oh, that I would do that more. 🙂 So glad you share your thoughts today. Thank you.
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I have learned to let go of wanting people to adore the very ground on which I have stepped. I HAD TO learn to like ME, first, before I could accept that other people would even think twice about wanting to be near me.
That wall of insecurity was a hard wall to push away from, because the known of fear was easier to handle than the unknown of fearlessness.
I haven’t come so far that I’m my own parade, but I’m getting there.
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Great thoughts, Jennifer. Being comfortable in my own skin is coming. I tell friends who haven’t hit their forties yet (I hit it many years ago). I finally feel comfortable in my own skin. I like the me God has created, and I am still working through some of the issues I’ve always had to work through.
I love your thoughts here. I’m glad you stopped by!
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