The Art of Letting Go

Man.  This is a tough one.  No one likes letting go, but sometimes it’s our only option.  In a world that always tells us to just hold on, sometimes letting go is the right thing to do.  Sometimes it takes more strength to let go than it does to hold on.  Sometimes it’s the only thing that can liberate us, so we can finally experience true freedom.

In my short 26 years of life, here are some things that I have found necessary to let go of.

1. Negativity

Let go of your bad attitude.  No matter how bad things look, try to keep a positive outlook.  The Romans 8:28 principle always helps me out here.  God is always working things out for your good, even in the midst of circumstances that look terrible.  Keep looking for the silver lining and learn to count your blessings.  If you don’t think you have anything to be thankful for, you woke up today.  You’re still alive and kicking.  That’s a good place to start.

2. People

This one kills me.  KILLS ME.  I am somewhat introverted.  Most people don’t realize that about me, because I put on a good show.  But I’m the type of girl that likes to stick close to a few good friends.  Put me in a crowd and I squirm.  When it comes to the few good friends I have, I love hard.  I invest.  I’m in it to win it.  When people cut out, move away or for whatever reason grow distant, it crushes me.  I’m just being honest.  But I’m learning that as much as I would like to keep people, I can’t.  Some people are with you for only a season and some are with you forever.  Only time can tell you which people will fall into what category.  It’s bittersweet really.  As much as we don’t like to let people go, doing so opens you up to the opportunity to invest in more people.  Think about it.  If we never had to let anyone go, we would never know the joy of letting in somebody new.  Hold on to the people you have for the season you have them for.  When the season is over, be joyful that it happened.  Be joyful for what you learned and look forward to the new people God is about to bless you with.

3. The Need to Control

The sooner we get this one down the happier we will be.  I have dealt with the harsh reality over and over again…I can’t control anything or anybody.  As much as I try to plan ahead, I never will know what is going to happen from one day to the next.  I have made peace with that.  I know the God who is in control.  I know He loves me and that He ALWAYS has my back.

4.  My Plans

Lastly, I need to let go of my plans.  I need to let go of my ideas about how things should look or how they should go.  I’ve learned to hold everything with an open hand.  Do I have dreams?  Sure thing.  But there is one dream in my heart that trumps them all and that is that I would live a life that follows the plans that God has laid out for me.  I’m honest with the Lord about my thoughts and my feelings about things.  I know what I want and I communicate it to Him.  But in the same breath that I communicate my own desires, I then express my desire to want for myself what He wants for me.  I let him know “If any of this doesn’t match up with what you desire for me Jesus, fix my heart until it’s one with yours.  I know that at the end of the day, you know me far better than I know myself and you know what’s best for me.”  Recognize that God’s plans for you are bigger and better than anything that you could dream up yourself.

We don’t like to let go because it’s scary.  There is fear in the unknown.  But it is necessary, because letting go allows us to hold on to something better.

“Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 3:13-14