Let Go

I know, I know, I know, it’s the beginning of the year, everyone is talking about goal setting, “locking in”, and becoming “unrecognizable” for 2026. It’s great! I love it! I love a fresh start, a new morning, a new beginning, the feeling of all the possibility. It’s one of the best feelings, if you ask me. I’m truly a dreamer at heart.

But… (you felt that “but” coming, didn’t you?)

No… you know what? Let’s not add the “but” yet.

So, it’s New Year’s Eve, right? I’m sitting on my couch reading my advent book. It was a 28 day one and I had missed a couple days. I had three days left in it and I had this thought, what if I go ahead and finish the last three days, today? I had this other book and I had two chapters left in it also, so I was making plans to grind it out that day, too. That way, I can put both of these books on my 2025 book list, I thought.

Now, let me explain my book list, real quick. I started doing this back in 2020. My goal that year was to get back into reading and I wanted to read all the Narnia books. (Which I highly recommend if you haven’t read them.) The goal was accomplished, so the next year, my goal was to at least read one more book than I did the year before. Thus, this has been my goal every year since.

2025, however, I went WAYYY past my goal! Which is great. Super proud, Kristen. But, as I was sitting on the couch, making plans for the day to wrap up these two books, and put a nice pretty bow on the end of the year, I felt the still small voice of the Holy Spirit whisper, “But why?” I stopped and thought about it. Why was trying to rush through these books? Just to add to the number on the book list?

There is something in us that loves to be productive. We love the sense of accomplishment, the check marks on the to-do lists, being able to say how “busy” we are when someone asks what we’ve been up to lately. We love to feel productive because, at the root, it makes us feel important. It gives us something to look back on and say, “See, I didn’t waste my life.” Even deeper? It gives us a sense of purpose, value, and worth.

But…. (yep, here’s that “but” again), can I be so bold to ask… by whose standards?

As I sat on the couch that day, I felt the Lord continue to question me. “Are you reading these books just to say you did, or do you want to grow from them?”

Ouch. Yep, that is definitely a question, Lord.

”You’ve loved reading both of these and gleaned so much from them, why would you want to rush it and risk missing something really beautiful I am wanting you to receive.”

It didn’t take much for me to see it.

So, needless to say… I let the book list go this year.

For some reason, this lit some kind of fire in me. I’ve been letting things go like crazy— clothes, toys, sentimental items, cards, “just in case” things, things I’ve seemed to care about all these years, but suddenly don’t seem care about at all, the sombrero from Mexico from 18 years ago, my Mom’s been wanting me to get rid of for years. Gone. I don’t need it, or even want it.

Ding, ding, ding, there’s the true statement. If I’m really doing an honest analysis of my life; if I am truly looking at the things I want to change or do differently; I really just want less.

Less comparison. Less noise. Less of someone telling how I need to do ”it” differently (insert your own “it”). Less “busy”. Less needed. Less available to other’s agendas and expectations and more available to the Lord’s and the “others” He’s leading me to. Less stuff to manage. Less clothes to choose from. Less decision fatigue. Less TV. Less social media. Less mental clutter. Less to-do lists. Less rushing. Just… less.

But, how do I do that, Kristen? You ask.

LET GO.

I know I have shared this quote before, but I think within this context it needs to be said again. It’s Jewish thought:

”We make space for the Lord to come and fill.” It comes from Psalm 81:10 “Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.”

I want to be less productive this year.

Yes, I just said that outloud. It actually gave my heart a little jolt of “yikes.” Whew, ok. We’re good!

Why do I want this? Because, I want to give God the space to come and give me the things He wants me to have and be doing. I want to live His purpose in the day, with the encounters and people He brings me to. I want to live from my worth and value being found in only Him. I want to live from being loved by Him, trusting Him and opening up my life, plans and agenda to Him. I want less, because I really just want more of Him.

May I ask you this week:

Why are doing the things you are doing? Why are going after the things you’re going after? What is the root of it all? What do you really want? By whose standards are you living by? Is there enough space in your life for Him to come and fill? What do you need to let go of?