Let It Go

[00:00:00] Hey everyone, it's MJ and thank you for joining me. Trials are challenging but it's necessary for where God wants to take you. Are you ready to go to this new place? If so, there is one very important thing you need to do.

[00:00:20] And I'm going to tell you all about it in this episode. So please stay tuned. Years ago a person did me wrong. I was so hurt by this person and I knew they had no intention of apologizing to me for their wrong deed.

[00:00:43] But I made up in my mind that I didn't want to carry those negative thoughts around for years and years. I didn't want the weight of unforgiveness to settle in my heart and spare it. I wanted it to be free. The hurt had me sold bound up.

[00:01:01] All I thought about was the offense. I couldn't get through my day without dwelling on it. So I prayed to God and I went on a fast. I fasted every day till the evening for two weeks. The fast was hard.

[00:01:19] Not because I wasn't eating and I was hungry, but my mind kept going back to the offense. I was angry some days and sad some days, but I knew to keep fasting. And at the end of those two weeks, I felt a release.

[00:01:39] God had delivered me from the hurt. And it's amazing because now I can look at the person and not feel any anger. And I treat them with kindness, even though they never apologized. You know what I did? I let it go. You see, forgiveness is freedom.

[00:02:01] When you set that person free, you set yourself free. When you are in unforgiveness, you are not free. You are in a prison. Well, what do you mean? I'm in a prison. I go and come as I please. But you're in a mental prison.

[00:02:19] You're doing time in your mind because all of your thoughts go to the offense. You have experienced. And you relive it over and over again. And you become bound to it. Then bitterness and hatred, and all of these other things come in and take root.

[00:02:39] When you are in that kind of mindset in lifestyle, it cripples you. You are not able to move on to other things because your past won't let you. Holding grudges is like being a hoarder. And naturally, if we saw a hoarder,

[00:02:58] we will wonder why they just won't let things go. Things just accumulate in their home and it's dirty and moldy and disgusting. Because it sits there for years and it wrots. Because you have an emotional attachment, you won't let it go.

[00:03:20] It's hard to move around in a house that's full of clutter. You can't really have company over. And in all honesty, if you were to invite people over, they wouldn't want to come and sit in a dirty, smelly place. Well, that's how some people's minds are.

[00:03:38] People that hold on to grudges for years. It's hard to move on and receive new things because you won't let the old go. But if you just clean up, it's better for you. It benefits you. People think that forgiving is hard and I agree. It is very challenging.

[00:04:03] But unforgiveness is hard because it's heavy. Why would you let it weigh you down for years and years? Just like naturally, you wouldn't want to carry heavy luggage around everywhere you go. But so many people do that mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Because that is what unforgiveness is.

[00:04:30] It's baggage. And it's only heavy to those who carry it. I know some of us have been through some very, very traumatic things in our know-it-hurt's. And there are a lot of secular songs out there that promote getting people back in retaliation.

[00:04:48] But no, the word says in Romans 12 and 19, do not take revenge by their friends. Believe room for God's wrath. For it is written, it is mine to avenge. I will repay says the Lord. Angulations 6 and 7. Be not deceived. God is not mocked.

[00:05:14] For whatsoever a man so with that, shall he also reap. No one gets away with anything. We have to remember that God sees everything. And he knows how to handle people and win to handle people. Way better than you do. So let him handle it.

[00:05:37] It's hard I know, because we want to see people get punished. We want people to pay for what they did to us. But you have to let it go. If you don't, it's like locking yourself up in a prison cell and throwing away the key.

[00:05:55] And it's really not worth it. Don't give these people that kind of power over your life. It's not healthy for you. No one should walk around angry and upset all the time. If that is the case with you,

[00:06:11] please re-evaluate your life and assess who and what you need to get rid of. Some of us need to let go of bad habits. Let go of toxic relationships. Ask yourself these questions and be honest. Is this helping me? Or hurting me? Is this peaceful or stressful?

[00:06:37] If this is causing more harm than good, you might as well let it go. Many times the people that offended us have moved on with their lives while we are stuck. It's not worth the pain you are reliving day after day. Alive yourself to heal and move on.

[00:07:00] So many positive things are waiting for you on the other side. So let me ask you this. What are you taking into the new year? Are you going to drag all of the baggage from the past years?

[00:07:13] Or will you let it go and walk into the new year free for new opportunities? Will you do another year's sentence in a prison of negative thoughts? Or will you walk out of that mental prison and exercise in a positive lifestyle? God wants to take you higher.

[00:07:33] But how can he if you are stuck in the past? If you can't forgive. We have biblical examples. He saw let it go. In deception and deceit, he lost his birthright and fives blessing to his brother Jacob. Did he ever write to be angry? Oh yes, he did.

[00:07:53] Was he angry? Yes. He wanted to kill his brother. But during that time of separation, he let it go. What would have been the point of staying mad for all of those years? It would not have resolved anything. See what time comes maturity.

[00:08:15] Joseph was also done wrong by his brothers. They threw him in a pit, sold him into slavery. Their evil detail actually directed him into his destiny. Psalm 37 and 23, the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and he deliant in his way.

[00:08:31] But when Joseph was reunited with his brothers, instead of upusing his authority to get back at them, he just let it go. And Jesus are perfect example. He let it go right in the midst of them crucified him. He told his father,

[00:08:53] forgive them, for they know not what they do. He had every right to come down from that cross. He lived a sinless life. So think about this, where will we be if he didn't let it go? Mark 11 and 25. And when you stand praying,

[00:09:14] if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them. So that your father and heaven may forgive you of your sins. Forgiveness is about you. It grows you up. It sets you free. And it feels so good to be free. Free from the weight and pain of anger and hurt.

[00:09:36] But the only way to do that is to let it go. Some of you are waiting for an apology. But what if that apology never comes? Letting go makes room for more. When you hold on, you hold yourself back from a life that could be full of prosperity.

[00:09:55] So as we leave this year to go into a new one, I'm encouraging all of you. Just let it go. I hope you enjoyed today's episode. Thank you so much for listening. If you have not already, please subscribe because there'll be many inspirational episodes

[00:10:11] that will be coming your way. And don't forget, you can check us out at our website, which is change my life podcast.com. Wow. Who knew? Letting it go. What? Change my life.