Let it go!

He lived and breathed football. Playing professionally was his dream until a debilitating injury stopped him. As he lay on the ground after taking a hard hit, he knew what the excruciating pain portended. He decided in that moment that he would let go and surrender to whatever God had in mind. So began the journey that led Dr. Tony Evans to a life in Christian ministry.  

At some point in our lives, we, too, like Dr. Evans, find ourselves compelled to let go of something that we may not want or feel ready to let go of. It may be a frustrated dream; toxic relationship; bad attitude; the pain of disappointment, betrayal or grief; or anything else that may be embittering and destroying us within. Most times we know we must let go, but releasing even the things we know we must is sometimes difficult. We would rather hold onto the pain of rejection than open ourselves to new opportunities; hold onto unforgiveness than forgive; hold onto disappointment than risk hoping again; hold onto bad relationships than be alone; and so on. At the heart of our reluctance is fear. We are afraid that letting go may be an admission of failure or inadequacy and we do not want to deal with the unpleasant feelings that admission elicits. We also fear that letting go will only bring emptiness and uncertainty and we would rather have a bad something than nothing at all. So, we hold onto our pain and live like the swimmer who attempts to swim across an ocean with a large boulder strapped to his chest.

To those who are in this place, God whispers, “let go” and “fear not, for I am with you.” He invites us to a place of freedom, where we can live unburdened by dead weight. The path to that place is trust—trust that when we let go, God will be holding onto us and we will be okay. We can forgive, let go of the disappointment, drop the bad attitude and resentments, release the toxic relationships, and say a long overdue “no” to fear, knowing that God will be there to fill the empty space with good and positive things if we allow him.

Whatever “it” may be in your life, decide today to let it go.

“[For] we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Rom. 8:28)