Letting Go

I have been hearing the message a lot lately, from many directions, telling me to let go...move on...be a victor, not a victim...choose freedom over bondage. My reaction has mostly been that I am so glad that I have been able to let go of so much from the past. I've worked through a lot and have felt a great freedom and transformation, over the past year especially.

So, I had to wonder why I had been getting this message again. I got my answer this morning, thanks to Sarah, who spoke at our women's brunch. Of course, she talked about freedom. What did I expect? Over and over she asked "what is holding you hostage?" Giving examples, and asking again.

The answer I heard ringing in my head over and over, as Sarah asked the question over and over, was "my expectations of others." That is what holds me hostage...unable to taste the freedom of what is in store for me.

I have expectations of my husband, my children, friends, co-workers, my church, my neighbors, ...politicians even! The convicting thoughts kept popping into my head, one after another. Every expectation I have of someone else just leads to frustration and usually disappointment on my part. Why? Simply because other people are not me. Duh! Right? They don't make the same choices, have the same thoughts, live the same life, or have the same likes and dislikes, as me. (How boring if they did!) So, of course, they will not meet my expectations.

Looking at it that way, why on earth would anyone want to be in bondage to their expectations of others and let themselves be distracted from making their own choices, having their own thoughts, and living their own life...regardless of what anyone else does, thinks, or says?

Now that I have been awakened to this, let's see how well I do at recognizing this on a daily basis. Letting go...of my expectations of others. Choosing to live my life. You know...that could bring some pretty awesome surprises...

What's holding you hostage?