How often we hear this statement, “Let go and let God…!” Where does it originate?

Could it be a modern version of Psalm 46:10?

[10] “He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

No matter what country we live in, no matter the ideologies of those who govern us, no matter the hidden intentions of the people in charge, we will always be pawns in the hands of unscrupulous and incompetent rulers, who sail this ship of state without God, by the evil standards of worldly wisdom, underpinned by “envy and selfish ambition”.

James 3:15-16 NIV
[15] “Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. [16] For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.”

David knew the situation well. He was king of Israel, but he was surrounded by kings of nations who ruled by worldly wisdom. He felt the hot breath of those who had their greedy eyes on his kingdom.

In the ferment of earthly conflicts, David found a place of peace and safety, a place of refuge for those who take shelter in the presence of the Most High.

The Hebrew word, “raphah”, translated “be still”, has the thought of “to slacken”, translated in many different ways in keeping with the context. God says, in the face of wars and conflicts everywhere, slacken your grip on…what?

We can answer that question according to our own personal response to the uncertainties and insecurities of our present circumstances.

We are inclined to hold tightly to our doubts and fears, our worries and anxieties, because these reactions are spontaneous and real. We are plagued by the “what ifs” when storms around us are raging unabated.

How can we, then, find the peace and safety the Bible offers even in the everyday things that happen around us and even to us?

In contrast to the ferment in the world, there is a city, a secure place of residence where we can flourish in the spirit realm, governed by God Himself. David describes it as a place of peace, security, and provision.

Psalms 46:4-5 NLT
[4] “A river brings joy to the city of our God, the sacred home of the Most High. [5] God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed. From the very break of day, God will protect it.”

Whatever David saw and experienced, this “city”, this realm which was stable and secure, was the place in which his heart lived in the Israel over which he ruled as king. He was surrounded by enemy nations who were constantly aggressive towards him and his people. God described him as “a man of war”. Yet, in his heart he knew peace because he lived in that city.

David knew what it was like to be harassed by personal and national enemies and even to be at war in his own family…and yet, he also knew the place of peace in the presence of God. He lived in that realm, conducting his affairs and the affairs of his nation from within the walls of that city.

What was his secret? David had learnt to “let go” of everything over which he had no control.

That’s the real problem!

Living in God’s city means letting go of many things that prevent us from enjoying the peace of that realm, those things that tie us to the world and its worldly wisdom.

What things?

Worries and concerns are our way of trying to keep a hold on that over which we have no power.

Do you get it? We don’t worry about the things we can do! We worry about the things we can’t do!

Living in God’s city means that God will take care of every detail, both whatever we can do and whatever we cannot do. There will be no failure of “service delivery” in His realm, no “load shedding”, no incompetent managers who don’t “maintain infrastructure”, and no “potholes” in the streets of gold!

We don’t have to wait until we die to live in that city. In our hearts, we can live there now, carefree in the care of God. We can only take up residence in that city when we “let go” of every hindrance to faith and every obstacle to fellowship with Him and His people.

Those who left their homeland to escape the pressures of an evil government, had to make a clean break with their past. They had to let go of everything they knew to start a new life.

We, too, must let go of whatever we have suffered to live in God’s realm.

2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT
[17] “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”

We cannot drag our old hurts, our self-pity and grudges into God’s realm. Let go, and let God do His gracious work of the real transformation, not from good to bad but from inner strife to peace.
As David wrote…

Psalms 119:165 NIV
[165]” Great peace have those who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.”

It’s the only way to thrive in a hostile world.