When I ask myself, or am asked, "What does it mean to have real faith? A faith that really works?" Whatever that actually means, and the response to that would be different for every person. But for me, the first word that comes to mind is "SURRENDER," then I think of "Letting Go, Letting God," then I think of one of my favorite "Surrender-Letting-Go-Stories" that keeps coming back to me a few times a year and I need to write it down and share it so I can begin to plant some "surrender-seeds" that will grow.
There's a world-famous tight-rope walker that gathers at Niagara Falls and is able, with the help of a helicopter, stretch a long, silver cable across the Falls from the American Falls to the Canadian Falls. There's plenty of publicity, a massive crowd, and everyone gathers around the tightrope walker who is about to step out on the cable. Just before he does he shouts to the crowd: "How many of you have the faith to believe that I can walk across this tight-rope-cable all the way to the Canadian side, AND BACK, without falling???? They all clap and cheer and say, "We belive it! We believe you can do it! We have faith in you!!!
The dare-devil starts walking across, the mist from the falls is making the walk treacherous, but he makes it all the way across and back and the crowd goes wild!!! Then, he puts a wheel-barrow on the tight-rope-cable and shouts the same challenge. Everyone claps and yells and says, "We have faith in you, YOU CAN DO IT!!!!"
Then the tight-rope walker yells out to the crowd, "OK! If you truly believe this, then which one of you is going to get into the wheel-barrow???"
When I speak this story to myself again, the phrase, "Lord I believe, help my unbelief" comes to my fearful heart....I like to talk the talk, make people think I'm so spiritual, know some verses, do some counseling, but, am I willing, on a daily basis, one day at a time, to get into that Surrender-Wheelbarrow and truly Let Go and Let God?
I'm thankful to my Higher Power today as I leave in about an hour to attend a meeting to help me, with those around me, to support me, to maybe even "throw me into the wheelbarrow," so I can go the distance....just for today.
Tags: Letting Go Surrender Spirituality
