“He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less” John 3:3

In this world we live in, of control and self-empowerment, the verse above is probably one of the most scary of the ‘Lessons in life’ scriptures.  Letting go is a daunting thing to all of us…and yet, when we’re talking about allowing God to become more in us why is it such a worrying concept?  Why are we afraid of change?  He is the One who created us, who knows us inside and out and is fully capable of knowing what’s best for us.  He can see what’s gone before us and what is to come.  He loves us more than we can possibly comprehend.

A few years ago, God named my year “The Year of Sacrifice” and I knew it would be difficult but also life-changing in a great way.  Let’s face it, letting things go and changing is often painful, but we know it’s absolutely necessary for growth.  During that time, there was a tree near my caravan that had become very familiar to me.  It was a tree God singled out when He wanted me to give some things over to Him and use it as an example of the cross.  It is there where I laid many hurts…where I expressed such deep pain to my Father…where I celebrated with Him my joys and successes and where I heard His voice deep within my heart.  These moments are precious stones in my history.

Taking in the sights and aromas of Autumn always warms my heart so much.  I love to stop in the moment and watch a leaf fall from a tree with the sunlight streaming through it.  Its’ colours illuminated and stunning.  As I breathe in the rich aroma which hangs in the air, it’s interesting to me that we see so much beauty in this season, when, in actual fact, it is a period of dying in order to make way for new life.  As the leaves change colour and fall from the trees, our senses are enriched with sight and smell.  When this is taking place in the reality of our lives it is so often a time when we feel undone with struggle, pain and difficulty, yet standing in the wood with the sun streaming through the trees and warming my face, I’m reminded that God changes us from the inside out in the light and warmth of His Love.  Never ever does He leave us, He walks us through the process step by step.  When you think about it, why on earth do we struggle and battle against it, when less of us and more of Him means that more of our inner self is being replaced by our loving, gracious, all-sufficient and perfect Father? 

“So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever.” 2 Cor 4:16a MSG

I encourage you today to lay down more of ‘you’ (though I know it’s not easy) and allow Him to become greater and greater within you so that He can work through you more and more.  Allow Him to change the parts of you which are less than desirable and cut those things you’ve got your life wrapped around which aren’t doing you any good.  It might feel difficult now but in time new things will spring up in your life.

“For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.” Isaiah 43:19 NLT