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Let It Go
These three little words play a huge part in our lives. We have heard these words from our youth up and we still find the need to heed words of wisdom from time to time. These words can mean so many things to each of us. There are times when these words mean to forget about it and go on with your life. And there are times when no matter how much we try, we just can't seem to let it go when it really needs to leave.
Sometimes tensions run high and people argue. Before it comes to punching someone whether they deserve it or not, some other steps in and tells us to "let it go". We know this means to take a few moments to calm down and try another approach to resolve the matter.
Of course, we all have a hard time of letting some things go. Perhaps it is our memories, or our lifestyle. These are the things that define who we are and what kind of people we are. If we have not been living a good life, we need to make changes. If we have sinned against God, we need to make changes that are sometimes drastic. All too often, people feel an emotional need to turn to God and they say they will give God their all, yet they just cannot let go of their past which continues to be the current. They cannot let go of their friends. They cannot let go of their lifestyle. They cannot let go of their sins. They may try for a while, but they do so without making changes that are necessary. They just cannot let it go.
They find the transition from a sinner to a righteous person is too hard to accomplish. Truthfully, nothing is too hard to accomplish; they just lack the willpower to make the changes. They lack the willpower to let it go.
Some people find it hard to let go of the past. They remember wrongs done to them for a long time. They carry grudges and animosity, and they will never forgive anyone, even if they ask for forgiveness. One cannot become a Christian if they cannot forgive in the manner that Christ forgave those in the process of killing Him.
If we decide to turn our life around and start serving God, we will find that we must make changes in our life. God does not need to change as He has been consistent and faithful for all time. The problem many face is to attempt a new life without changing anything in their life. That causes problems because the things in your life which motivated you to sin is still there. We must remove the sin from our life and that includes the environment we are in and the people we hang around.
This is difficult because we want to keep our friends but must realize they are not going to help you get to heaven. If you ask them to help you get to heaven they will most likely turn on you and make your life miserable. There are times we just need to cut and run.
We all have seen the shows on TV about hoarders. These are people who cannot find it possible to get rid of anything. They live in horrid conditions and these conditions are literally killing them, but they just can't let go. Sure we realize there must be some mental imbalance in such living, and the best we can do for them is to do something they do not want us to do.
We cannot force people to make the changes in order to start serving God faithfully. All we can do is encourage them to make the changes themselves.
Remember in Philippians 3:13-14 Paul said: "Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." There are things we need to let go, and yet, there are somethings we are to get and never let go.
Proverbs 23:23 reads: "buy the truth and sell it not".
Find the pathway of righteousness and do not let it go. Stay off the path that leads to destruction as we read in Matthew 7:13-14.
One more thing about letting your friends go. If they really care for you, they will help you get to heaven, and most likely will join you in your quest to be right before God. If they do not; let them go. When you become a Christian, you will have new friends who will help you get to heaven. You will have a Christian family who really, truly does care about you and your soul. So do not feel bad about letting go of that which could harm your soul.
By Carey Scott

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