LETTING GO – HOW TO LET GO OF WHATEVER IS HOLDING YOU BACK

I would like to welcome guest blogger: Katy Parker Journeyofsmiley blog as she shares her thoughts of inspiration and encouragement on the importance of Letting Go.

Now take a moment to read as Katy shares on the topic: “Letting go – How to let go of whatever is holding you back.“

As the end of the year approaches, many of us will look back and reflect on it. It feels like the perfect time for me to look back at the Resplendency’s Women’s Conference on Letting Go this past summer. Ultimately, many of us may have things we would ideally like to let go of before the new year starts. 

There are many things I’d like to let go of, such as the negative thoughts that sometimes enter my mind, regrets about wasting my time and energy on things out of my control and worrying too much instead of letting go. So, I’m learning to let go and let God handle it all, I’m thinking about the words I shared at this year’s Resplendency’s Women’s Conference. 

When Pastor Natalie asked me to share a few words on the topic of letting go, I delved deeply inside and shared my fears. Where does my fear come from? What causes my apprehension?

Discussing this with my therapist, I automatically travelled back in time to my childhood. And perhaps you do too, when you think about your fears and apprehension. This isn’t surprising, as it has been proved that our beliefs about ourselves, others and the world stem from our childhood.

As children, we bond with those around us, our caregivers. Depending on the environment you grow up in, you either develop trust and security and learn that it is good for people to help each other or alternative that people hurt you, depending on what you have experienced. Our experiences shape our beliefs, and in the course of life we see evidence that reinforces our beliefs. 

Not long time ago I came across a situation which reconfirmed exactly this. It was during a recent Pilates Class, because of my pain, I was struggling with an exercise. Not being able to perform to the same standard as before my accident, negative thoughts entered my mind and started to challenge me when I already felt so low. That’s actually the ideal time for our insecurities to surface. When our self-esteem is undermined, this can make us feel even worse about ourselves.

Examining my thoughts later on, I could clearly see the path to my roots. Our negative beliefs are deeply rooted inside us, most likely influenced by our experiences in childhood. And these beliefs then also affect our behavior in later life. When we believe that we can’t be doing something right and have been told this since we were children, then we see our struggles as proof that others must have been right about us, in my case, that I can never do anything right. And often, we even stop trying to accomplish things, because why should we try if we can’t get it right anyway?

Some of us fall into the trap of believing lies about ourselves, and we struggle to break free of our self-limiting beliefs. Fortunately, there is a way to stop listening to the lies and see things differently. 

This is exactly what the message in my short video for Resplendency’s Women’s Conference Letting Go was about. There is a way for us to feel that we aren’t unworthy. Because you are enough just as you are. You don’t have to prove yourself to others, let alone yourself. Because your worth isn’t based on performance, meeting certain standards, or earning the approval of others. This isn’t how God placed your worth. The good news is that we are complete in Christ. He died for us whilst we were still sinners, “since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:23 – 24). We are saved by the grace of God alone, not by actions we perform or characteristics we possess. This free gift isn’t something that can be earned, deserved or paid for (Ephesians 2). 

So, if you have something you would like to let go, I would like to invite you to watch the Resplendency’s Women’s Conference recording and get inspired. Perhaps now is the right time to let go of whatever is holding you back, shift your beliefs and “be transformed by the renewing of your minds” (Romans 12:2). God designed you perfectly. He created you in His image. You are a child of God, and this is priceless. 

Thank you Katy for sharing such an encouraging message in this guest post blog and the importance of letting go. Honestly, we each can admit there is importance of learning how to let go of whatever is holding us back. Share your story and tell what you know has a hold on you and you need to let it go. Remember prayer and release are vital to letting go.