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“It doesn’t take a lot of strength to hang on. It takes a lot of strength to let go.” – J.C. Watts. Read this quote again. Read it a third time. Hit it once again just to allow these words to sink in. “It doesn’t take a lot of strength to hang on. It takes a lot of strength to let go.” We hold on to a lot of mess don’t we? We hold on to stuff that does us no good. We hold on to hurts from years ago that keep us from enjoying moments and life. We hold on to words from people that cut deep, and we allow the anger and hatred to dig in and make us resentful or even hurt others around us. We hold on to broken trust where we were hurt in the past so now we don’t trust anyone and are so reserved that we don’t allow anyone to love, empower, help us grow. “It doesn’t take a lot of strength to hang on. It takes a lot of strength to let go.”

We hold on to hurts for too long. We hold on to disappointment from self. In Mark 12:30-31 Jesus challenges us with a hard truth that we struggle with: “‘The Lord your God is one; so love the Lord God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence and energy.’ And here is the second: ‘Love others as well as you love yourself.’ There is no other commandment that ranks with these.” Jesus was challenged by a group trying to disprove him and make him contradict himself. The question was posed, ‘of all the commandments, which is the most important?’ We often think of the 10 commandments, but there were actually like 613 within the Torah. Even if the one asking Jesus this “which is the greatest commandment” was referring to the 10 Commandments, Jesus sums every bit of it with these two: 1 Love God. 2 Love others. If we love God we will desire to live as he asks and we will strive to be the good and we will want to worship Him and serve Him. Part of loving God is loving others. Check out 1 John 4. And how do we love others? “… as you love yourself.”

I love me some me. How are you loving? Are you holding on to hurts from others? Are you holding on to past mistakes? Let go. “It doesn’t take a lot of strength to hang on. It takes a lot of strength to let go.” J.C. Watts is right. Let’s let go of the past and grow together to make tomorrow better for all.

Rev. J. Cameron Bailey is pastor at Kenbridge Christian Church. He can be reached at www.kenbridgechristian.com.