Mar 24, 2026 – Let Go
JC – “This is a time in your life when you must learn to let go: of loved ones, of possessions, of control. In order to let go of something that is precious to you, you need to rest in My Presence, where you are complete…. As you relax more and more, your grasping hand gradually opens up, releasing your prized possession into My care.” That reminds me of the story, that many of us have heard, about the little girl with the fake pearl necklace. The father patiently keeps asking her to give them to him, but she keeps offering other toys in their place. When she finally gives him the play pearls, he hands her a real strand that he’d had all along.
I’m definitely not suggesting that when we lose something important that it wasn’t “real.” We just have to trust that God is in control and wants to bless and care for us sort of like the closing the door and opening a window concept. As Google explains, “The quote advises against fixating on lost opportunities and instead looking for new, often unexpected ways forward.” The devotion concludes, “As you release more and more things into My care, remember that I never let go of your hand. Herein lies your security, which no one and no circumstance can take from you.”
Simpson – “And again I say, rejoice” (Phil. Iv. 4). Simpson reminds us that, “It is a good thing to rejoice in the Lord. Perhaps you found the first dose ineffectual. Keep on with your medicine, and when you cannot feel any joy, when there is no spring, and no seeming comfort and encouragement, still rejoice, and count it all joy…. the Holy Spirit will sustain you in your bold advance, and fill your heart with gladness and praise, and you will find your heart all exhilarated and refreshed by the fulness of the heart within.”
Max – Mark 15:37 – 38 NKJV – “Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last. Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.” Talk about giving up something good for something better! Max explains this verse, “At the moment of Jesus’ death, a miracle occurred…. We aren’t talking about small, delicate drapes. This curtain was a wall made of fabric. The fact that it was torn from top to bottom reveals that the hands behind the deed were divine. God himself grasped the curtain and ripped it in two. No more division. No more separation. No more sacrifices….(Romans 8:1). Heaven’s work of redemption was finished. Christ’s death brought new life.”
Utmost – John 3:30 – “He must increase, but I must decrease.” Chambers points out that, “If you become a necessity to a soul, you are out of God’s order. As a worker, your great responsibility is to be a friend of the Bridegroom…. Watch for all you are worth until you hear the Bridegroom’s voice in the life of another. Never mind what havoc it brings, what upsets, what crumblings of health, rejoice with divine hilarity when once His voice is heard. You may often see Jesus Christ wreck a life before He saves it. (Cf. Matthew 10:34.)”
Power – Proverbs 1:7 – “The reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord is the beginning and the principal and choice part of knowledge [its starting point and its essence]; but fools despise skillful and godly Wisdom, instruction, and discipline.” Joyce offers this, sometimes difficult to accept, truth: “We need to see that discipline is our friend, not our enemy. It helps us be what we say we want to be, do what we say we want to do, and have what we say we want to have. Discipline doesn’t prevent you from having fun and doing what you want to do in life, but instead it helps you obtain what you truly want, which is peace, joy, and right relationships.”
Streams – Cowman offers Jacob’s prayer in Genesis 32: 9, 11-12 and uses Practical Portions for the Prayer-Life to show us that, “If Jacob was so careful over his words, what great care will God take over His promises? Therefore while in prayer be sure to stand firmly on a promise of God.” She draws from selected sources as she shares that, “Jesus desires that we would be very specific in our requests, asking for something definite. ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ (Matt. 20:32) is the question He asks everyone who comes to Him during trials and affliction.”
Pay close attention to these next lines of explanation: “Make your requests earnestly and specifically, if you desire definite answers. It is the aimlessness of prayer that accounts for so many seemingly unanswered prayers. Be specific in your petitions.”
JA – “Take time to notice all My blessings – small and large – and to thank Me for them. This practice will help you enjoy My many gifts. Ask Me also to train you in trusting Me more consistently. Well-developed trust enables you to go across treacherous terrain without stumbling…. You can pray, ‘Lord, I trust Your unfailing Love.’ Rejoice, beloved, for I am truly worthy of your thankfulness and trust.”
