Let Go -- Let God

I like to zip! Zipline , that is. The last time I zipped was about three years ago in Whistler , Canada where I did a Rainforest tree hike and got to zip off five different tree platforms. It was exciting and peaceful at the same time. The scenery was beautiful and the "ride" was exhilarating and quiet except for the whirring of the zip wheel rolling over the cable line. I learned how to speed up, slow down, lie horizontal and torpedo across the air. The best part of the zipping was learning how to zip upside down, hanging my head straight down with my legs up wrapped around the connecting line from my harness to the zip cable. Very cool!

At CBC's retreat this last weekend, ziplining was a featured recreation, so I jumped at the chance to try it again. I had forgotten how to do some of the moves, and we were only going to get to do one zip across. So, I decided I wanted to flip upside down.

After I was harnassed up, the zipline staffer at the top of the platform went through his standard explanation of what I was supposed to do, and told me I could hold onto this excess line if I wanted to do something with my hands (or just to feel safer even though the line didn't control anything) . I told him I wanted to turn over in mid-zip. So he told me I could start zipping across, then kick up my legs to wrap around the connector line and extend upside downward.

Off I zipped. I was comfortably gliding across the air, "sitting" in my harness, my hands tightly holding on to the excess harnass line. I evened myself facing the connecting line from harness to cable. I was holding onto the excess line with both my hands, ready to let go as soon as I got my legs wrapped around the connecting line.

I started swinging my hanging legs forward and back like a pendulum to get momentum enough to kick them up. Like a child on a swing, ready to jump off at the high point, I kicked my feet up in front of me as hard as I could. Ugh! I could only reach my legs up to waist high. I ramped up again. Kick! I could still only reach up to my waist. One more time. Kick! Ouch, I wrenched my back. I certainly was not the agile gal of my youth. But certainly it shouldn't be that hard to kick my legs up!

Why couldn't I get my legs high enough to wrap around the connecting line .....because my arms were still hanging onto the excess harnass line. My legs wanted to go forward and up, but the rest of my body wasn't moving backward and down. I wanted to hold on until my legs were safely in place before I would let go of the line. THAT was the problem. I was fighting against myself!

Isn't that how we are in our trust in God? We want Him to do amazing things in our lives, but we don't let go of the things that fight against that. God wants us to move forward in the plan He has for our lives, but we hold onto our own way of doing things, the safe things, the familiar, that prevent us from experiencing the abundance of life led by God.

We want God to fix our hurting relationships. But we hang onto our own pride or hurt feelings that prevent us from extending the grace or forgiveness that begins the healing. We want God to change our station in life, but fear having to try something new, risky, daring, or outside our comfort zone. We want to reach our maximum potential , but we play it safe because we fear possible failure. We want to trust God in everything for our lives, but settle for the world's definition of success, or seek the addictions in our lives to fill the void or dissatisfactions in our hearts.

Back on the zipline, after I let go of the line, I was able to lean backward. Adding a little kick of my feet, I was suddenly able to wrap my legs around the connecting line upside down. Whoo-hoo! what a ride! And a whole lot easier!

If we want to experience the ride of a lifetime, the one God has so perfectly planned for us, we have to let go of the reins to let Him reign. Let Go and Let God!

jane