Near the end of last year, I attended an online writers conference. During the opening worship session, the presenter said we need to let go to receive. One thing she said we should let go of is our critics, because a lot of those who criticize us are not in the arena themselves.

You don’t need to be a writer for that to be true. Nowadays, it seems people we don’t even know feel it is their job and duty to criticize, no matter what. Whatever happened to speak the truth in love? Treat others as you want to be treated? Walking a mile in another’s moccasin?

During her presentation, the presenter asked us to trace both of our hands on facing pages in our notebook while we listened to Be Still My Soul. On one hand, we wrote all the things we need to let go of. On the other hand, we wrote all the things we need to receive.

I don’t know what you need to let go of or what you need to receive, but I believe each of us could let go of listening to critics who condemn. I also believe we could open our hands to receive God’s loving grace and forgiveness. Grace which is made possible through Jesus Christ’s sacrifice to death on the cross of Calvary.

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat. Theodore Roosevelt  

Perhaps while you listen to Kari Jobe’s Be Still My Soul, you would like to trace your hands. On one hand, write down the things you need to let go of. On the other hand, write down the things you need to receive.

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In face of all this, what is there left to say? If God is for us, who can be against us? He that did not hesitate to spare his own Son but gave him up for us all—can we not trust such a God to give us, with him, everything else that we can need? Romans 8:31-32 (Phillips)

You can find my February Inspire a Fire post here. Please stop by and read it.

I wish you well.

Sandy