Leave the Outcomes....

This morning, during my quiet time, I read something in the Jesus Calling Devotional that really stuck out to me. It says,  "Pray about everything; then leave outcomes up to Me." Wow. That is a very simple thought but if I followed that advice, it could honestly be life changing for me. I pray a lot, about almost every issue in my life, but the problem is that I don't leave the outcomes to God. For some reason I pray and then keep on thinking about the issues as if my worrying or pondering can in someway help with the outcome.

I was really touched by that thought this morning and it's been twirling around in my mind all day. So I decided to read a little more into it. The definition for the word "leave" is to go out of or away from, to depart from permanently. So when I pray I should figuratively lay down my requests, my needs, my hurts, my fears, and depart from them permanently. I should believe wholeheartedly that God will handle the outcome. How different would my life be if I did that? God wants to make life easier for us. He is willing to take every burden from us and have His way in each situation. He doesn't intend for us to come back 20 minutes later and pick those burdens back up. He doesn't need our help to take care of the outcome. He wants us to pray about every little thing in our lives and then trust Him to handle every little thing.

Today I am thankful that I can pray about every issue in my life no matter how big or small. God wants me to spend time talking to Him regardless of what's on my mind. It can be something serious or something silly, God still cares. I am grateful for a God that listens and wants me to continue to talk to Him. I am also thankful that I can leave my concerns with God and He will be at work in the outcomes. In fact, He wants me to walk away and trust Him. He wants me to believe that He will handle it. There is so much freedom in that thought. I can trust Him. I am incredibly grateful that I can pray about everything and leave the outcomes to Him.