The Process of Letting Go by Keith Stonehart

I can vividly remember being nine years old and gripping the rope swing. I held on with a force that would rival a python gripping its prey.

Nervousness covered me like a bad suit. Fear was standing right beside me. But being the stubborn, hard-headed kid I was, I was determined to beat it.

Then came the moment that this whole journey had led me to: the choice to let go.

Seconds later, I was submerged in the cool, flowing waters of the Flint River. I had done it! I had swung from the high bank of the river and conquered the challenge. In that moment, I realized that the real enemy was not the height of the swing—it was fear.

The Grip of Fear

Fear is a powerful force. While a healthy fear of God is defined as respect or reverence (Proverbs 1:7), we often practice a different kind of fear. We give ourselves over to the fear of failure, rejection, and pain.

When we let this negative fear rule us, we open the door to sin. But just like an illness, there is a cure: letting go.

Many people think letting go is a sign of weakness, but it is actually the opposite. True strength comes from doing what is right, no matter the consequences. This is where courage begins.

The Three Steps to Letting Go

Here is how we can start the process of letting go:

1. Give In: Submit to the will of God. Submission (yielding our will to God’s authority) is not a power struggle. It is a relationship of love, humility, and respect. When you understand this principle, the practice becomes natural (1 Peter 1:14).
2. Give Up: Do not give up in defeat, but give up your worries in prayer. Take the things that trouble you and hand them over to God. As Psalm 118:5 says:

   “Out of my distress [extreme anxiety] I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free.”

3. Move Forward: Surrendering your problems to God is the best way to begin. But it is only a start if you keep moving. You must actively move toward God to avoid falling back into old habits (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Getting Out of Your Own Way

Earthly things are temporary. The harder you try to hold onto them, the more they slip through your fingers, dragging you down.

Imagine you are standing at the edge of heaven, and God is inviting you to enter. But every time you try to step forward, a figure blocks your path. You cannot see who it is.

Finally, you decide to ignore your fear of what this figure thinks or might do. You push past it and run to the Lord. Just before reaching Him, you turn around to look at the figure that blocked you for so long. You realize that the only one standing between you and the Lord was yourself.

What is keeping you from God’s rest? Nothing but your own fear.

Let go of the temporary things of this life and trust in Christ. In Him, there is no fear—only love, strength, and rest.

A Message to Remember

The lyrics to Linkin Park’s song Iridescent capture this feeling well:

“Do you feel cold and lost in desperation? You build up hope, but failure’s all you’ve known… Remember all the sadness and frustration, And let it go.”

I couldn’t agree more. The invitation to study the Bible is always open.

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” — Revelation 21:4

Guest post by Keith Stonehart from his blog Keith Stonehart is Dead