Let Go
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”
Proverbs 3: 5-6, NIV
There are times when getting up and facing the new day can be daunting at best. As an overthinker, often, there is no separation between morning and night. When lacking rest, life’s circumstances can be overwhelming. Pressures with work, family and friends can be suffocating and the inability to see clearly and be rational is compromised.
We become toxic to ourselves and others. Misery replaces joy and hope for anything better diminishes. Unless we take a minute and reboot, we cannot see the light of a new day. Life is about choices and making the necessary adjustments. The question lies in whether we are willing to let go or not.
To be honest, letting go is hard. Our investment of time, energy and emotion is real. When letting go means trusting God and not ourselves, the decision can be scary. Henri Nouwen writes, “When I trust deeply that today God is truly with me and holds me safe in a divine embrace, guiding every one of my steps I can let go of my anxious need to know how tomorrow will look, or what will happen next month or next year. I can be fully where I am and pay attention to the many signs of God’s love within me and around me.”
One of the greatest lessons I learned in life was from my dad, who struggled with addiction. While in recovery, he shared with me some of his deepest insecurities and uncertainties in life. His greatest fear was failure. Lack was his nemesis. As the pressures mounted, his compulsions increased until one day, he hit rock bottom. He had a choice to either let go and let God or not. Fortunately for us, he surrendered.
Scripture teaches us that we will fall short. As human beings, we are not perfect. We will make mistakes and we will let others down. If relying on ourselves is our goal, we will fail. His promise is clear and the choice is ours. It all comes down to who we choose to trust; trust in God or trust in self.
Let us begin this day by letting go
“Surely it is God who saves me, I will trust in him and not be afraid. For the Lord is my stronghold and my sure defense and he will be my Savior.”
Isaiah 12:2, “The Book of Common Prayer,” pg. 86
