LETTING GO

Why letting go is crucial for our emotional, mental and spiritual well-being.

The first day at kindergarten is usually tough for preschoolers. They find it difficult to leave mum behind, together with the rest of the family and the comforts of home.  

But leave they must. The defining moment has come. Despite separation anxiety, they will gradually learn to let go of the familiar—once they have got used to the classroom setting and have made new friends.

However, the struggle to let go is not confined to our early years.

Learning to let go has broad ramifications which extend into adult life. What are some of the significant areas in our lives where we need to let go?

If we have toxic emotions such as guilt, fear, worry, anger or bitterness, we need to let go all of them; seek forgiveness from God and the one we have wronged.

                                                                      

To brood over our past failures and mistakes, which we cannot change, is useless. We have to move on.

                                                                        

If we have the inclination to control our grown-up children, we need to cease. Learn to respect them—not impose our values on them or force them to pursue certain courses or careers we deem as prestigious. We can and should guide them but we also need to give them wings.

                                                                    

Trying to change someone close to us, such as our spouse, is difficult. We cannot force them to conform to our expectations. We can only pray, set an example and wait for transformation. Nagging is futile and often counterproductive.

If we have a desire to grab at every opportunity, we need to rethink. We may think we have missed the deal of a lifetime. It may be an overseas assignment that pays us twice as much but it alienates us from our family. Fret not; learn to say, “No”. Wait, have faith, trust God to provide.

A nose-to-the-grindstone job that does not allow us to have a Sabbath day for rest and worship is not worth keeping. Let it go.

When it comes to witnessing, we only need to do our part—pray, share the Good News and leave the results to God. Protracted arguments are useless. We might win the battle but lose the war. If we’re not welcome, let our peace return to us.

Impatience is a negative trait we have to let go. The fulfillment of our dreams takes time. And much more—hard work, perseverance, sacrifice, self-denial and single mindedness.

Often we are unable to relinquish control of our lives over to God. We want to be the captain of our “ship”; we don’t believe He can act for us, provide or bless us. If this type of unbelief is our weakness, we need to repent. Let go and let God be the Master.

Finally we need to let go of stress. If we had a demanding day at work, or someone said or did something which hurt us, we can take this simple exercise, even at the workplace. It takes hardly five minutes but, once it’s over, we can feel the stress ebbing away.

Sit comfortably upright on a chair. Release any tightness at the collar or waist. Breathe in slowly and deeply for three seconds; as you breathe in, place your right hand on your abdomen and feel it rising. Then breathe out slowly for six seconds; feel the abdomen return to its original state. It is best to breathe in through your nose and breathe out through your mouth. Repeat this slow, deep breathing exercise for three to five minutes.

As you exhale, release all our fears and all other negative emotions Similarly, let all the muscle tension fade away as you exhale—starting from the head, then face, neck, shoulders, arms, and legs. Let your jaws and shoulders droop. Imagine you are a rag doll; try to be as limp as possible. Meanwhile, picture your favourite vacation scene and smile as you see yourself enjoying the time of your life.

                                                                         
Letting go is an important principle in life. When we let go of the negatives and let God take charge, we are ready to move on in our march towards the Promised Land. That means we will embrace the fullness of what God has destined for our lives—His calling, blessing and provision.

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