Letting Go

Jesus taught that those who lose their lives for him and the gospel will find them. While those who keep their lives in this world will lose them.

Letting go is not easy, especially when we're focusing on that. Our focus then is on what we're losing. For one thing, we may be losing control. We like at least a certain amount of control. We're willing to follow, except... Except what? We may sing, "I surrender all", yet really hold on to our lives in one way or another.

How can we let go of our lives? A key is surely to be doing so with our focus on what we're gaining. In one of Jesus' parables, a man finds treasure buried in a field, then sells all he has to buy that field so that he can secure that hidden treasure. In the same way, we find our real lives by letting go completely of our lives. We do so knowing that there is a rich treasure to be gained, no less.

Let us not forget that this involves nothing less than denying self (self-rule, self-anything), taking up our cross and following Jesus. In other words we identify our lives with his life. We can follow his way because he has already pioneered and made that way for us.

This act Jesus says is daily. Every day we must continue to let go. We can take back that stance and hold on to something in our lives. But when we do so we are no longer following Jesus, and we are losing out on the real treasure.

Lord. Let us follow you. Let us let go of our lives in the here and now. That we may find our true lives in you. Amen.