Experience God in Letting Go
If you want to discover the truth about God, don’t strive for things that lie beyond you. Draw your thoughts inward to the center, and seek to become one and simple in your soul. Let go of all that distracts you, all you desire, and come home to yourself, and when you do, you’ll become the truth you first sought.
Meister Eckhart
What does it mean to “let go”? When something happens that is displeasing to you, someone will invariably say “Oh, just let it go.” This may be eminently do-able if we are being asked to let go of anger we may feel toward the driver who just cut us off on MoPac, but what does it mean to let it go when it comes to something of more significance to us? For example, what did Jesus really mean in Matthew 19:16-30 when He tells the rich young man”…go, sell all your possessions and give to the poor…?”
May we summarily dismiss these words of Jesus as hyperbole meant to shock us into getting our priorities straight; that is, God, family, job, community, country, college football team? Or, are we to read His words literally as we do with so many other passages that apply to others but do not challenge us? Surely, he did not mean that we must “let go” of our hard earned 401(K) or convert our back house into shelter for some of the many homeless here in Austin. But, if this is not what He meant in this apparent mandate, then what did he mean?
Maybe what Jesus was trying to say was that we must put God first above all else----that we must change the way we look at all things by filtering everything through a transformed heart. The spiritual practice of letting go begins the process of being transformed into the image of Christ.
16 Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?...20 “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?” 21 Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. 23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “ Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven.
FOR FIVE MINUTES BE STILL. BREATHE. READ THE PASSAGE AGAIN.
What do you hear God saying to you?
What is preventing you from doing what you hear God telling to do?
What might you give up or let go of? When?
Praying as We Let Go
God, You are the most important thing in my life. Help me keep Your love foremost in my heart and mind.
6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
FOR FIVE MINUTES BE STILL. BREATHE. READ THE PASSAGE AGAIN.
What words shimmer or stand out for you?
What does making yourself nothing mean to you?
What do you think Jesus meant?
What would you like to say to or ask of Jesus?
What changes might you be willing to make in your own life?
Praying as We Let Go
God, you are all I need. Help me empty myself of what is not important.
32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
FOR FIVE MINUTES BE STILL. BREATHE. READ THE PASSAGE AGAIN.
What words shimmer or stand out for you?
What is Jesus trying to tell us in this passage?
What do you treasure?
Would you like to respond to Jesus?
Praying as We Let Go
God, thank you for giving us your kingdom now. Help me find the kingdom within me.
36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”
FOR FIVE MINUTES BE STILL. BREATHE. READ THE PASSAGE AGAIN.
What words shimmer or stand out for you?
What do you think Jesus means when He says His kingdom is from another place?
What does this mean to you?
What would you like to ask Jesus?
Has this changed your understanding of what the kingdom of God is?
Praying as We Let Go
God, Your kingdom is within me at this moment. Help me search no further.
44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. 45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
FOR FIVE MINUTES BE STILL. BREATHE. READ THE PASSAGE AGAIN.
What words shimmer or stand out for you?
What is Jesus telling us about the kingdom of God?
What questions does that raise for you?
What can you do to find God’s kingdom?
What change of behavior would you like to make?
Praying as We Let Go
God, release me from my attachments so that I can rest in the Kingdom of God today.