Ignite the Flame

Letting Go

How strong do you think you are? No, not physically, but spiritually. What even makes you spiritually strong? Spiritual strength is not determined by how much you can do on your own accord. It definitely is not measured by how well you can provide for yourself. In fact, the Bible says God will give strength to those who are weary (Isaiah 40:29). So much so, that as you hope in the Lord, He shall renew your strength (Isaiah 40:31)!

Regarding past hurts, true strength does not lie with what you can hold on to; it lies in what you can release. What sense does it make to hold purposely onto pain or not address the pain by not going to God for help? Hurtful places are really growing places if you allow them to be. Moreover, Jesus says that if you want to be His disciple, you must take up your cross and follow Him (Matthew 16:24). What could be more painful than carrying a cross, an item that was used for torture? This is a metaphor Jesus used, but walking with Him is not easy.

Through times of hurt, God might be trying to shake something loose in your life (James 1:2–4). Be careful not to let it destroy you, and never become angry to the point of sinning or have unforgiveness with that situation (Ephesians 4:26–27). You have no right to walk in unforgiveness, and you should be slow to become angry at the situation that caused the hurt (Proverbs 16:32; 17:9). Human anger does not produce righteousness (James 1:19–21). When you try to retaliate to hurt and pain in the same nature, it will ultimately destroy you spiritually (1 John 3:14–15). What you do out of retaliation will essentially build walls, thinking it will protect you, but really it is what is holding you back.

When you carry around past hurts instead of letting God really heal you, you make the people in your life pay for the hurt that occurred to you (Ephesians 4:31). That unhealed hurt can change you in many ways, and thus result in a pattern of hurting others. Regarding the people who hurt you, it is not about the hurt done by them; it is about the way you handle the situation (Proverbs 19:11). When that pain and anger says that you are entitled to act any way you wish, be that strong person the Holy Spirit empowers you to be and let go. Allow God to heal you.

Forgiveness is often seen as unlocking a door to let someone free. But in all actuality, it is not the one who caused the hurt you set free, but it is yourself who is being set free from bondage (Isaiah 43:18–21). When you start not to feel free, look back and see what burdens you are carrying. You will never experience true freedom if you do not learn how to forgive and let go of the past (Matthew 6:14–15).

Prayer

Heavenly Father, You are holy, righteous, good, and mighty. You are always good to me, and I thank You for that. Thank You for always loving me and never holding anything back from me. Sometimes, God, it is hard to let go of situations, especially the ones that hurt and have caused pain. Teach me how to let go and let You take control of situations. Give me the courage to pick up my cross daily and to die to my fleshly desires daily. Help me be humble so that You may have complete control of my life and that I may fall under Your Lordship. Thank You, Jesus, for bearing my sins and allowing me to walk in Your peace. I pray this all in Jesus’s name. Amen.