Letting go is never easy. Over the years, Terri and I have had to say so many goodbyes to people we loved, places we enjoyed, and situations we cherished. The moment you say "goodbye," "so long," or "we'll stay in touch" something changes forever. A goodbye acknowledges an impending loss. We do not like goodbyes, because they are in some way, a foretaste of the ultimate goodbye; the last breath we will take someday. However, "Goodbye" is not the end, it is the start of something brand new.
People often fail to make changes in their lives, because of the goodbye. Change is avoided because of the anticipated risk of failure. Such decisions are avoided because the discomfort is often greater, than the hopeful possibility of a dream God has placed on our hearts. Most of us have faced change and rejected that new possibility, turned around and missed it because the comfortable , risk-free, and mundane path was so much easier. We remained stuck or paralyzed by comfort, because uncertainty and fear stopped us, even if God was calling us into a new way of being. Regret can become the fuel of the rest of our lives, because we chose to miss the chance for new life, new hope, and our ultimate heart's desire.
As people of faith, we are supposed to have faith that our goodbyes are not the end of the story. We are called to step out in faith without fear of change. There will come a time in this life, when you will once again face a transition. A few years ago, I worked with a group of folks who provided training classes for church leadership teams. One of our sessions focused on the nature of transitions. In that session, one of my colleagues showed a video called, "The Parable of the Trapeze." Please watch the clip below:
Transitions are never easy. However, when you make the decision to enter into your uncertain future that it is the time to leap and let go of the bar. When you are in mid-air unattached to anything but that space of "transition," it is time to leap and let go of the bar. When you are in that moment of terror and uncertainty, it is time to leap and let go of the bar. When you reach the apogee of your free-flight, with no net below or safety device to catch you, it is time to leap and let go of the bar. Remember, you will at some point in this life, leave the safety of the place in which you find comfort, and you will have no choice but to leave it for the unknown. That is the time to let go and to learn to fly.
That next bar may not be where you had hoped. It may not be exactly where you thought, ready to whisk you onto to the safety of a next chapter. However, even if you miss the bar and lose your grip, and find yourself free falling again, fear not! God never abandons us, but is always ready to catch us, whisking us into the presence of his love and grace. God may surprise us and bring us into a place, a different situation, or place us among beloved people where he needs us for a particular time. If you trust in God's promises, then you will know in that moment mid-air that your light, your example, and your gifts will bring grace in the moment. So, dear friend, fear not, just let go and fly!