Letting Go


Ecclesiastes 3:6

A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away


As we walk though this faith life and especially if you strive in ministry daily; you will encounter many types of people. These people will bring blessings, trials, good relationships, stiff neck woes, joy, sin and often; many bad experiences that can destroy your faith. It takes wisdom in knowing what to hold on to and what in the right time, to lovingly let go of. 

We are learning this very well of late. 

With that thought; I learned something not long ago about letting go of a man who walked with us once due to his marriage issues. His wife was in a false religious body and he left it while she stayed there. It was for about 2 years that he came in and out of our lives always carrying some truth but the same carnal, rebellious, unloving ways that had weakened his marriage. He refused to repent of sin that was hardening him, destroying his faith and his daily life. Yet God had put a burden on my heart for him but I never compromised truth so we had many a battles. I was driven to love, teach, encourage, edify, rebuke and call him to repentance to the saving of his soul. (James 5:19-20) I believe I was faithful to God in this all and oh the strife, pain, confusion and leaven did he bring to me. (I did protect my home and body from it all) He and I went round and round so very many times in the Word with him in his flesh and his endless vain excuses. My wife had said in amazement how long this painful process had gone on and it was not like me and I had to agree. It was for the love of his soul and God's glory I was striving on to reach him and not giving up on him at that time. He had even commented many times how I was the only one loving him, telling him truth and not giving up on him.  

Then one day something happened that surprised both me and him. 

He reached out to me again and this time in the midst of our communicating over truth that he still resisted, God did something in me. The burden for him was lifted off of me and I told him that I loved him but; I was saying good bye and letting go. He was shocked and didn't believe it at first but it was true and I went on my way not ever looking back. God then blessed me with peace, joy and the confusion of this unloving, stiff neck man had brought to me over and over was over and gone. I could now move on to focus on my home and ministry to teach the Word and preach Christ in the streets without his antics. There are others who need the Word and truth so letting go of him was right to do at that time. I learned a great freedom in all of this and it was a blessing.

Recently I had a similar situation with a man/couple that we have had a long sorted past with. In many attempts at unity, love, truth and glorifying God together, it just could not be found. (we had baptized his wife) We always longed to have unity and glorify God together with them (they even had an offer several times to come move on our homestead) but due to bad communication, ill theology, stiff neck ways, flesh and sin, it was never found. We had parted ways with many people over issues in the past but we always had a extra strong burden for these folks; for some reason. 

Once again something happened in me. 

After the last attempt to get to that place of love and 1 Cor 1:10 unity to no avail, God has released me/us from our burden for them. We are now set free to NOT look back their way any longer but moving on for good. I can admit I did or said some things that were at the time harsh and hard hitting but after repenting of them, there was no full forgiveness given. We see fruit in his wife and while he claims Jesus; we do not see John 13 love in him or the desire to have loving biblical unity, so we have let them go.
Sister debbie and I discussed it all and we agreed upon the dangers of looking back at others lives, their blogs and anything that stirs; what cannot be once unity is not possible. (in both cases we stopped looking back even deleting their FB, emails and blogs etc) It is foolish to do such striving forever but; for a season it is loving and of God to do so. All of this happens of course only if he places that burden on you for them in love.  

Jesus said this in Luke 9:62 and we cling to it:
And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
     
I write all of this to say be wise and protect your home and hearts. There is a time to let go! It is by being in tune to what God is doing in your life and not going past what He wants that you wont get hurt or bitter. Walk by the spirit (Romans 8) and the Lord will direct your path. I want to be clear that we love them all still, want the best for them and there is hope of course for all, if they still have life in them. But we think it is wisdom to go on and let God bring someone else into peoples lives to water what we worked hard to sew from the Word. 

I closing, we know that these people lives will fall into one of these categories in the end:

Matthew 15:14
Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

Matthew 25:21
His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

We are NOT the keeper of that and our hands are clean in these situations I discussed; so we rest very well at night. Make sure you are clinging close to the Lord via His Word and NOT to people that in the end because of their sin/issues; will not make this faith journey with you. 

I hope our experiences have edified then blessed you to strive on in love, wisdom and truth. 

God be praised

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