Ecclesiastes 3:6 (b) A time to keep and a time to throw away.
There is a time in life to hold on to something, as well as a time to throw away. There are certain times that you may hold on to a situation, or a relationship, and there is a time to let go.
Abraham had to let go his homeland and move out in accordance to the instruction of God - Genesis 12:1 The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you.
Lot had to let go the city of Sodom. When the angels of God came to destroy the city because of the insurgence of its inhabitants, Lot was initially hesitant to leave, and had to be virtually dragged out - Genesis 19:16 When Lot still hesitated, the angels seized his hand and the hands of his wife and two daughters and rushed them to safety outside the city, for the Lord is merciful.
Lot's wife was still not willing to give up on what she had left behind. She looked back in breach of the instruction of the angel, and became a pillar of salt. We must learn to let go!
The children of God had to learn to keep just the manna they needed daily. God taught them in a practical manner the lesson of holding on and letting go. Those that disobeyed had their manna stinking with maggots. There is a time to collect, and a time to throw away.
Again, the Israelites had not learnt to totally let go their past life in Egypt. They still craved for some part of their past life in Egypt. This angered God who punished them - Numbers 11:4-6 The rabble who were among them had greedy desires; and also the sons of Israel wept again and said, “Who will give us meat to eat? “We remember the fish which we used to eat free in Egypt, the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic, but now our appetite is gone. There is nothing at all to look at except this manna.”
God gave them meat but punished them duly - Numbers 11:33 While the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the anger of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD struck the people with a very severe plague. All of this happened because the Israelites did not let go off Egypt and all it stood for.
The father of the Prodigal son had to let go his son when he left home. As much as he loved him, he released him in love, and desired and waited for his return. We must learn to let go certain relationships, we have to let go people who no longer want us in their lives, and let go relationships that mar us, we may sometimes have to painfully let our spouse or children go, and hold them up in prayer and love. There is a time to keep, and a time to throw away. Do not hold on when you have to let go, nor let go when you have to keep.
May God help us discern when to hold on and when to let go.
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