It hurts to let go

As I watched a television show, recently, a plea from a little girl tugged at my heartstrings. She was losing a teacher she dearly loved. The student was overwrought at her teacher's upcoming departure, and she couldn't understand why her mentor, ever, had to leave. The teacher explained we all have to let go of things and that enables us to grow. With tears streaming down her face, the child said, "But it hurts to let go." The student didn't realize the wisdom of her statement. As I pondered what the child had said I saw a shocking number of similarities that can be made between what she felt, and life.

Since we are in the midst of C0VID-19, I examined how the virus reactions we are experiencing, can be somewhat explained by her emotion. The virus is scary, inconvenient, widespread, and often deadly. Other ramifications can be loss of jobs, scarcity of capital on which to live, and possibly a future lifestyle change. Many are concerned about what the future holds.

It seems appropriate -- if the disaster had to happen -- that it occur around Easter, a time of rebirth. New life is offered. We can grow and learn from what we've endured. As we look back we can recognize that things must become frightening, sometimes hit rock-bottom before they can be rebuilt. Yes, it hurts. We've lost our footing and have been shoved into the unfamiliar, but regardless of how long the disease lasts, our feeling that we're stuck on a reef will eventually disappear and we will become free again. Believe this.

When a trauma happens we must search all angles to see what we are to learn from its destruction. Aside from depending on our God, do we need to become more self-sufficient ceasing to always depend on others to meet our needs? Thank God for the technology that we are heir to, now. It has made learning, communication, working at home and numerous other necessities or desires possible.

Aside from the harm they cause, atrocities, often, bring needed changes and volumes of wisdom. Plato, and others, have been credited with stating that "necessity is the mother of invention." There are many opportunities for which to give thanks during hardships, if we recognize what's sometimes, hidden. Rightly so, we would rather not experience horrible or unpleasant events and conditions.

Progress is also an offspring of despair or need. We are often forced to reach out and learn new skills, which we, otherwise, would never attempt. I used to pride myself on saying, "I don't do computers." I was afraid I would hit all the wrong keys and I possessed all sorts of fears related to that machine. To me it was a monster. Without going into much detail, I can tell you, I was forced to learn about the computer. My resistance was met with necessity. If I wanted to attain further education or maintain a job, I had to master it. Now, using a computer, cell phone or other technical devices has become second nature for me, and a need for almost everyone -- not merely a desire.

Whether we adjust to whatever is happening, or not, we have the assurance that our God is with us always. Minister and author Peter Marshall says, "God will not permit any troubles to come upon us, unless He has a specific plan by which great blessing can come out of the difficulty." We can't always see the good that's coming from hardship because our psychical eyes can't see that far. Faith is stronger. "Faith is the vision of the heart; it sees God in the dark as well as in the day. (Author unknown).

Indeed life is the master craftsman of mysteries -- some we can solve -- others are completely beyond our understanding and control. There's always the question, why. Stop struggling and trust in your God. Let go, even though it hurts.