By Evette Dombrosky
What holds you back from being who you want to be? Ask yourself: What can’t I let go of, detach from without any loss, pain, or suffering? Anything we have any difficulty parting from is an attachment.
If we want a truly peaceful life, we can’t let anything, and that means absolutely anything, become an attachment. Freedom is our ability to choose between goods. If we are attached to something, that attachment affects our judgment. When our judgment is impacted, we may be confused, unable to make clear decisions, not free. Want freedom and peace? Cut loose from attachments. We all have them: our possessions, our comforts, our ideas, our dreams for our lives or the lives of the people we love, our opinions, our work, even our identity. ALL of these things are the essence of our will for our lives. Getting rid of what occupies control in our minds and hearts, making room for the willingness to let go completely and live for God’s will, is a key to peace. This is the ultimate interior freedom.
St. John of the Cross said an attachment is like a thread attached to a bird. The thread can be a thin string or a heavy rope; either way, the bird cannot fly. We are like the bird. We will not fly freely until we detach from the attachments that control us. How do we free ourselves? The obvious answer: Let go! However, letting go and surrendering control is not natural for us. We must work at it…
Acts of self-denial, much like fasting during Lent, enable us to grow in patience and fortitude. He who conquers himself on the inside, conquers himself on the outside. This is why we practice domination over the little things. The more comfortable we are in self-denial, the more able we are to tolerate whatever comes our way. Detaching from what controls us allows us to attach to God – to allow Him control over our life. It can be hard to admit we are attached to comforts, habits, and ways that keep us from being who we were intended to be. Sometimes it takes our whole lives to realize we cannot do things on our own. The sooner we get over ourselves and give God complete dominion over us, the sooner we begin doing things beyond our own means.
Ready to break free? Today, let go of an attachment that has its hold on you. Try to resist looking at your phone for two hours. Walk away when you hear gossip begin. Say, “No thank you” to dessert, to a cup of coffee, or a glass of wine. Don’t correct your friend or spouse when you know you are “right”. Or, think about self-image attachments… an obsession with exercise, tendency to overwork, the lie that you are not worthy… Consider what God wants for you, instead of what you want for yourself. Only you can know what thought or belief controls (and limits) your possibilities. Imagine cutting the tie to the attachment you’ve held on to and fly free. Claim the peace and freedom found in returning to God.
In God’s will is our peace. ~ Dante
Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet,
not as I will, but as you will. ~ Mt 26:39
Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your will. ~ Lk 1:38
Break free from chains. Detach and have peace…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGYjKR69M6U
Next time: Do I have faith to put all my trust in God?