Becoming: Part 5 - Living Hands Free

     It is commonly suggested that men are not very good at multi-tasking, yet quite good at compartmentalizing. Though this may or may not be the case, I have come to realize my own personal weakness in multi-tasking. Because of this realization, I have had to give myself a reminder that I cannot carry as big a load as God. The phrase I have begun to tell myself is, “God can care for that at the moment.” As I remind myself in this way, God seems to chime in as well. He seems to say to me, “that’s Mine, keep your hands off.” No matter how good or not so good you may be at multi-tasking, there will be times when God reminds you to keep your hands off what only He will touch. In these times, we are to learn the difficult yet profitable task of living hands free. At times, we are to live hands free.      In 1 Samuel 25-31, David though anointed to be King over Israel, is on the run from the current King, King Saul. Saul had for some time been attempting to kill David ever since the people of Israel began to see David as a more powerful warrior. In this last section of 1 Samuel, we come to the end of David’s journey fleeing from Saul. This time is a time of living hands free for David and in the end God paves the way for him to become king. Though there is much we could say about this time in David’s life, I want to focus particularly on how and why David chose to live hands free. I believe that he can be an example of how we may do the same as we are living in the process of God’s making. Please consider the following:
1. Living hands free, frees us from guilt. 26:6-12
2. Living hands free is accepting the possibility of the worst. 27:1-4
3. Living hands free is being honest and blameless in difficulty. 29:6-11
4. Living hands free is not grabbing all you can. 30:21-25
     Through the above, David serves as an example. We may then ask how David was able to live hands free in this manner? The answer is very simply found in the sixth verse of chapter thirty were we see that David received his strength from the Lord. For us this is the key as well.
     One of the many things that make it difficult to live hands free, is our own idea of who we should be. Part of growing up is coming to understand who we are as individuals. Because of so many developmental issues we tend to create a false-self. This usually creates an unsustainable living situation. Sue Monk Kidd in her book When the Heart Waits, helps us understand how we must confront the false-self and let it go. She suggest:
A. Let go of Your own self-image.
B. Let go of societies definition of you.
C. Let go of the compilation of your heroes.
D. Let go of your failures.
E. Let go of who unhealthy people say you are. 
     As we release the above, we are to embrace our true selves as defined by our Creator. These things help us to discover who He has created us. I think you would agree that the creator of a thing has the right to determine the identity and its purpose. Consider embracing the following: 
A. You are the reflection of God’s image.
B. You are valuable and worthy of the most immense love.
C. You possess world-changing gifts, talents, and abilities.
D. You are worth chasing.