Letting Go To Find It

Do you remember learning to ride a bike? I don’t, but know that at some point in my life I could. I do vaguely remember my parents teaching me how to drive. I clearly remember the first time I drove by myself. I was on the way to football practice. Sitting at a red light playing with my radio I didn’t see the light change, the car behind me hit his horn and scared the living daylights out of me. Quite a first day of being on my own.

As I look back now, I think about those moments for my parents, it was the process of letting go. Going to college. Moving out. As we age, we all have a ton of “letting go” moments. Some are easier than others. Relationships. Jobs, Seasons of life. Periods of change tend to lead to letting go moments.

Think about it, in your life you have likely chronicled a ton of letting go moments.

For me, this last year has been full of that. Moving. Job search. Housing. A changing world and changing life.

As I stop and consider all of that… and it has been a lot, much of it heavy to navigate, I've been learning something critical.

Before I share that let me say this, it’s easy in those moments to lean into who you have been, what you have done, and what might identify you. In fact, I would say it’s natural to do that. I’m guilty of that.

And then I think about something I wrote a LONG time ago, it’s OK to look back to learn, but you need to use that to move forward. (Paraphrasing my first book there) I don’t want to just focus on what I’ve done and who I’ve been, my friend always says “let your windshield be bigger than your rear view mirror.”

That leads to this: for me now I’m more focused on who I am becoming that who I have been. So much freedom in seeing yourself as an open canvas for the Lord. His will. His plans. His purpose.

It’s scary to let go. Giving control to someone else is uncomfortable and not our initial instinct.

I’ve had this thought in my mind for a while now: You are never more whole than when you are broken. I know that does not make sense on the surface.

As a follower of Jesus it makes perfect sense. When I let go and trust Him, I am then whole. I seize control and allow Him to lead me and trust in His perfect will.

The picture in my mind has been a sailboat at sea. In letting go I am simply putting the sails back and trusting Him to provide the wind and lead it the right direction, my role is to follow where He leads.

This is a really unique time in my life. Starting a new ministry and moving to a new place… yet I have a peace I’ve been praying for and I’m sure that comes from letting go.

My friends in Tenth Avenue North just put out a great new album. There is a song on there that connects with this perfectly. Putting the video below.

Here’s to letting go friends. May you find it in doing so.