“Let it go, let it go, can’t hold it back anymore . . . ” has been an overplayed song for parents as much as it has delighted children all over the world. A song from Walt Disney’s animated feature film Frozen, it reached the top 5 on Billboard Hot 100 and has won both Academy and Grammy awards.
The character sings this anthem about letting go of fear, worries, powers, abilities, and perfection. Can't we all relate? We strive for perfection, though we know it's not worth it. We want things to be a certain way, but wouldn't call ourselves control freaks. We aren't willing to let go of the expectations that are placed on us or the ones we build along the way. We cling to our desires with both emotions and logical reasoning. We conveniently cover the evil longings in our hearts with shells of "reason."
Here's a simple illustration from my own life. When our firstborn was growing out of all her baby things, I was having such a hard time letting go of her baby clothes, toys, and things. In my mind, everything had to be protected and honoured as her "first sock," her "first spoon," etc. After having my second child and now almost a decade later, I have realised I can’t keep up with all her “firsts." I would run out of space and energy! My failure to meet my own expectations illustrated to me how much I need to have the attitude of letting go.
There is nothing bad about turning your baby’s first outfits, books, or special memories into keepsakes, but be careful that you don't make it an idol. Like every other sin, idolatry seeps through the depths of our hearts. Often, we dress it with either virtue or reasoning. Consider the very first scene mentioned in the Bible with Eve:
What happened in her heart:
“When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it” (Genesis 3:6).
But here is how she portrayed it when she was caught:
“The woman said, 'The serpent deceived me, and I ate'” (Genesis 3:13b).
Sometimes it's not the big sins that concern us as Christians. We cover ourselves with our holy outfits. We meet, talk, and love our neighbour as ourselves on Sundays. Everyone around us looks up to us. We make sure we consciously are involved in the "good" things happening in the community. Especially as second or third-generation Christians, it is not murder or theft, but the very little, little things that build up big spaces of idolatry in our hearts and reveal the truth of our relationship with God.
Self-reflection is the best way to search through the depths of your heart. Are we willing to let go of things like hurt, worry, and sadness because we trust He will take care of us? Are we careful about the things that we hold on to, trusting God through it all?
An eternal perspective changes everything. It's easy to let go of things when we think of what's to come! We want to cling to the present and the things that seem to satisfy us here because we forget that even greater things lie ahead.
I recently helped my friend move over from India to Europe. Initially, she was concerned about all the nitty gritty things, like selling her furniture and kitchen items. But when the time came for her to leave, she wasn’t concerned at all, because she knew great things were to come ahead in Europe with her children’s education and her job, etc. Suddenly the worry of a utensil didn’t seem to bother her when compared to the life she had before her in Germany. When we know there is something great to expect ahead, things here don't have such a grip on us.
“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Colossians 3:1-2).
So Let it Go! Let go of your broken relationships, your haunted past, today’s goodness, and tomorrow’s worry knowing that there are great things ahead for us.
Photo by Максим Степаненко on Unsplash
