“We’re going to teach them how to say goodbye, say goodbye…” George Washington sings to Alexander Hamilton. It’s a beautiful song; I love the way it depicts Washington’s heart for his country. He knew it was best for everyone if he stepped down from the presidency. He knew it was time to let go and move on.

I spend my spring weeks thinking, reading and writing about letting go. Meanwhile, a physical issue is demanding I eliminate dairy, beef and pork products from my diet. Becoming dairy-free is proving to be a tangible journey in letting go. I’m discovering it’s easier for me to let go of a long-held belief than it is to let go of cheese. I love cheese. Apparently I love cheese more than I love the Psalms. I’m sorry about that, God. I understand why the Israelites wanted to go back to Egypt and eat a big steak. 

When we let go of something, it’s natural to grieve what we’re losing, and healthy to pause for a while to process the loss. But sometimes we can wallow a little too long in the longing, anger, sadness, or self-pity. We choose to stay there and we get stuck.

The irony is that letting go means we’re carrying less; we’re more nimble to be able to move forward. If God is involved in the surrender, that means He’s looking to move us forward into a new thing. There’s always an invitation from God. I believe He wants us to have a lighter load, or at least one that fits just right.

Shifting focus to the new opportunities ahead is a good way to get unstuck. But what if we can’t see the good thing up ahead? From our perspective, there is no movement. No hope. No better days to come. When this feels true, despair sets in. I think often the truth is we ARE NOT stuck; we’re just not aware of the micro-movements happening, or what God might be doing deep underground. When God promised to be with us always, He said it this way: 

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you.” Isaiah 43:2

PASS THROUGH. This is a promise that we will not stay stuck, that we will keep moving on through. If you feel stuck, Ask the Lord to show you what is within your power to change and move. Look for what IS moving – I’ll bet there’s something! Ask for eyes to see the movement He is blessing, no matter how small. Don’t judge whether the movement is “bad” or “good.” Sometimes, if you’re really stuck, any movement yields hope, and hope is so valuable. 

God is always looking to grow us up, to move us forward. It is never His heart for us to stay stuck. How can we cooperate with this movement? It’s not so much about knowing exactly what the next thing is. It’s about shifting our gaze to look one day ahead, and take the next right step. That is enough. 

For me right now this looks like finding new ways to comfort myself, since all my comfort foods are off limits. It looks like remembering that I am being generous to my body and giving her what she needs to fight disease. It looks like resting more than I’d like. It looks like spending extra money on cashew cream cheese and coconut yogurt and vegan butter and maybe even a trained nutritionist.

What does it look like for you? Take a few moments with one of these questions: