Unclenching Our Grip

​Sitting around the table swapping stories, my friend took us down memory lane to when her adult son was a young boy. Thinking he went back to sleep after recovering from illness, they found him in a coma. Rushing him to the hospital, they prayed fervently. When the doctor visited the family the first time, he informed them that her son had diabetes and had fallen into a diabetic coma. Based on the amount of time and the severity, his chances of survival were very slim. The doctor’s words came with a devastating message of a preparation for the greatest loss the family could imagine.
 
My friend lowered herself to her knees and bowed her head, “Lord, I have treasured every moment of the nine years you allowed me to spend with my precious son. But he is also your son, so I am surrendering him back to You.”

Within moments of praying, she stretched her body across the row of blue vinyl hospital chairs. Closing her eyes, she drifted into what she describes as the deepest sleep she ever remembered experiencing, the Lord’s peace her blanket. When she awakened, the doctor shared the miraculous news that her son was alive and well.
 
She surrendered the greatest blessing of her life to the Lord and trusted Him whether she faced a loss or a miracle. 
 
In Samuel chapter 1, Hannah longed for a baby, yet as time passed she remained childless. Hannah took her deep wounds and poured out her bitter tears to the Lord promising Him that if He gave her a son, she vowed to give him back to the Lord all the days of his life (1 Sam. 1:11).

The Lord remembered Hannah and blessed her with the son she desperately longed for. And Hannah remembered her vow, “and she said to him, ‘Pardon me, my lord. As surely as you live, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord. I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him.  So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord”’ (1 Sam. 1: 26-28).

Hannah waited for the blessing of a son, and when she received it, she opened her hand and released him back to the Lord. Our children are God’s children first. He’s entrusted them to our care, but He loves them more than we do. It’s human nature for us to parent with clenched fists, fretting, and desiring to control what often is uncontrollable. We long for the very best for our children. So does God.

We can surrender our children to the Lord and trust Him no matter what happens out of our control. Children are a blessing and a reward, and we often desire to hold tight to these blessed rewards. 

Surrender requires deep trust, but the reward is unshakeable peace.
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What deep desires or longings are you holding with clenched fists? Open your hands and surrender them to the Lord. As you open your hands, reach toward God and grasp His hand as you give those deepest cares and concerns back to Him. You can trust Him with anything you place in His loving hands.

​ Memory Verse: “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him and He helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise Him.” Psalm 28:7

Meet the Author

I'm Renee Robinson, married to my high school sweetheart, Steve, and a homeschool mom to three teenage boys. We've lived in four states over the past twelve years and currently live in Omaha, Nebraska. My desire is to inspire and encourage women to get to know the full truth of who God is, His heart and character, one day at a time in His Word. I'm a freelance writer, run an Etsy shop, and teach Logic to middle schoolers. I love to read, hike, ride bikes, take long walks, or gather friends together at our home for a meal and games. Connect with me at www.renee-robinson.com.