Letting Go, Finding More
Let it rest, let it rise, now enjoy.
Devotional Credit: Open Windows, T. Austin-Sparks, The Cross, the Church, and the Kingdom, Chapter 5
Photo Credit: Unsplash
Today’s reading from T. Austin-Sparks points to a hard but freeing truth. The Lord leads us into seasons that uncover what sits at the center of our decisions. He is not harsh. He is wise, and He wants us to know whether we are clutching our plans with a closed fist or opening our hands so Jesus can be the One who acts in us.
Austin-Sparks uses Abraham and Isaac to show the pattern. Isaac was God’s gift, yet Abraham was asked to release him. On the far side of that surrender, Abraham discovered that what God gives is never lost when placed back into God’s hands. The heart of the lesson is not loss. It is trust. It is letting self step out of the way so the life of Jesus can be seen.
This is where the wilderness tests make sense. God already knows our hearts. The testing shows us what we are leaning on and what we are still guarding. In those moments, we learn to choose the Lord over our quiet ambitions, to value His kingdom over our private empires.
This is practical for every hour. We can say with open eyes, Lord, I am not the center. Christ in me is my life. I can release outcomes, reputations, and timelines because the Spirit of Jesus is faithful to work in me. Thank you, Brother Austin-Sparks, for opening this window so we can see again how superior Jesus is to everything else.
Journal Entry, Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
I led My people through deserts so they would learn that I am their source, not their schemes. I tested to reveal, not to crush. I invite you into that same grace. Present yourself to Me. I am at work within you to will and to do what pleases the Father. You are joined to My Son. You died with Him, and now His risen life is your true life. Set your mind where He is. Let earthly prizes lose their glare as heaven’s life grows bright.
I dwell in you. I guide you into truth. Apart from Me, your best efforts cannot bear what lasts. In Me, even your weakness becomes a doorway for My power. When I ask you to release what you prize, I am not taking life from you. I am making room for the better portion. Abraham learned this on the mountain. So will you, in your office, your home, your unseen battles.
Do not harden yourself when My loving discipline comes. I discipline My children so they share My holiness. Trials do not expose how empty My grace is. Trials expose how full My grace is. Count it all joy, not by pretending pain is pleasant, but by trusting that I complete what I begin. I search you and steady you. I teach your heart to say, not my will, but Yours, and then I supply the will and the working.
Yield your plans. Entrust your name. Seek first My kingdom. I am faithful. I finish what I start. I make you sufficient as a servant of the new covenant. Walk with Me. Abide in Me. Let the life of Jesus be seen in your patience, your words, your quiet choices today.
Real Life Analogy
Think about baking bread. You mix, you knead, then the dough must rest. If you keep poking and pressing, the dough will not rise. You cover the bowl, step back, and the unseen process does the heavy lifting. Our hearts work the same way in the Lord. We act in simple obedience, then we step back inside, trusting the Spirit of Jesus to do what only He can do in the unseen places.
Try this today. Suppose a project you wanted slips to someone else, and disappointment rushes in. Instead of tightening your grip by sending three hurried messages to regain control, pause at the kitchen sink or at your desk. Whisper, Lord, I release this outcome to You, live Your life in me right now as I answer with honesty and peace. Then write one clear, kind reply that tells the truth without angling, and leave the timing with Him.
Prayer of Confidence
Father, thank You that in Jesus I already have life, acceptance, and a place in Your kingdom. Thank You that Your Spirit lives in me and works in my willing and my doing. Thank You that I am crucified with Christ and alive to You, so I can release what I clutch and receive what You give. Today I rest in Your faithfulness, I walk in union with Your Son, and I welcome every test as a doorway for Your life to be seen. Amen.
Scripture References for the Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture Section
Deuteronomy 8:2; Genesis 22:1 through 18; Romans 12:1 through 2; Philippians 2:13; Galatians 2:20; Romans 6:6 through 11; Colossians 3:1 through 4; John 15:5; Second Corinthians 12:9 through 10; Hebrews 12:5 through 11; James 1:2 through 4; First Peter 1:6 through 7; Psalm 139:23 through 24; Luke 14:33; Luke 9:23; Matthew 6:33; First Thessalonians 5:24; Second Corinthians 3:5 through 6; Ezekiel 36:27; Romans 8:13 through 14, 28 through 30; John 14:26