Not so tightly, please!

Letting go doesn’t mean you stop caring. It means you stop trying to force others to care. 
–Mandy Hale


We are about halfway into Lent, the 40-day period when Christians reflect on the time Jesus spent in the wilderness and his ultimate crucifixion and resurrection. Maybe you’ve chosen to make this Lent a time of quiet introspection. Or maybe you’re trying to see these forty days as a tithe of one year of your life, giving something up as a sacrifice to God. What began as largely a Catholic practice is now commonplace even among non-Christians, as people choose to give up a bad habit for a season, in hopes the change might last a lifetime.

Have you thought about rethinking your attitude? That instead of giving up something for Lent, we choose to think of it as letting go? Let go of speaking too quickly or impatiently. Let go of an old resentment or broken relationship. Let go of insisting on doing things “my way or the highway.”

When we let go of things that hold us back from serving God fully, a remarkable thing happens. In place of impatience, God creates a space for listening. In releasing resentment, God offers a new sense of peace and belonging. And believe it or not . . . in letting go of the need to be in charge, we begin to more fully become the person we were created to be.

Take a deep breath. Now . . . let it go.

Monday (Spring at last!) We have been praying together now for 197 weeks. (Let that sink in. . . .) Pause and reflect: How has your prayer life been changed or re-formed? Give thanks. Acts 16:25-31

Tuesday While Lent is a time for reflection, God still wishes for his children to live joy-filled lives. What one thing could you do that would increase your enjoyment of time spent with the Lord? (It’s okay to say coffee.) 1 Timothy 6:17

Wednesday Regret over things past can rob us of delight in our present lives. How, through the grace of God, will you seek to make this year better than the last? Isaiah 41: 10

Thursday Spring is a time of renewal of all living things, a time to cast off the slough of winter and begin afresh. What is the one biggest time-waster in your life? Ask God to help you change. Jeremiah 7:13

Friday We are the Church—together. God has created each one of us to serve in unique fashion. What new way are you feeling called to serve God at the Church in the Circle? Joshua 24:14-15

Saturday Look deep today as you pray for yourself. Is there something God is calling you to do that seems impossible? Pray for God to answer your questions and ease your doubts. Now step out in faith and begin. James 1:5-6

Sunday Another “little Easter” to rejoice as members of the Family of Christ. As part of this family, how might you seek to improve your relationship with another? 1 Timothy 3:5


Abundance is a process of letting go; that which is empty can receive. –Bryant H. Magill

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