Let Go

By Sarah de Orlando

Rejection hurts! This week Jesus let me practice themes in Matthew 5:38-48 as I wrestled with a petty rejection of an online acquaintance.

I asked myself: Do I turn the other cheek or strike back? Do I trust God’s peace and grace to change my heart from hurt and anger? Can I believe he is the one true judge, and it’s not my place to react in kind?

Lord, what do I need to do?

Release her. You’re called to love, he reminded me. Throughout the day, I had to give God my hurt and angry thoughts. It wasn’t a one-and-done with overwhelming peace. Instead, I had to choose over and over to let it go.

God knows the hearts of man (see Psalm 44:21). We don’t. So I can’t assume or judge; that’s God’s part.

But I get to love, forgive, and let go.

Help me let go. I prayed, and he brought a fresh wave of peace over me.

Forgiveness releases my heart from dwelling on the hurt and asking for God’s love for them to fill me. Regardless of the size of the injury, Jesus wants our hearts to trust him and respond as he showed. He gave grace, understanding, compassion, and deep love.

He’s calling us to a better way to live freely and lightly by releasing grace and love through his power in us. Left to ourselves, it’s easy to think, “I deserve..” I can’t possibly…” “How dare they…” “Didn’t they think..?”

What if we didn’t take offense so easily? What if we tried to see the good and ask the Lord to help us love them anyway?

I’m not a professional forgiver. Struggles with others have been a growth area for a while. When I lived in Poland a few years ago, he began deep work in my heart to turn the other cheek. Here’s an excerpt from my book, Love Letters from Poland.

“Sarah, Sarah, the Lord gently chided when tensions arose. You need to let go and give them grace. Give yourself grace. Have compassion and see their heart. Rest in the day I have laid out for you, I have this in my hands. Repent, and I will free you.

Healthy roots [in my heart] were on the way as I made room for them to grow, pruning and tossing the sinful roots of weeds trying to choke my daily choice to walk in the Spirit. Every morning I would start my day by saturating my mind with God’s Word. It became easier to recognize moments where I just needed to take a deep breath to rest and notice his love. I couldn’t love others until I chose to be filled with God’s love and truth.

As my perspective shifted from an aloof, unloving God to an intimate, compassionate Father, his Word became a treasured love letter for my heart. It came alive and spoke wisdom and comfort over me. As I felt safe to be loved and known, it was easier to let others know me and to give and receive love.”

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 1 John 4:9-11 NIV

When tension and struggles come, dear reader, remember the more time we spend with Jesus and know his love for us, the easier it is to live as he did: turning the other cheek. We become transformed by his work in our hearts, guidance from the Holy Spirit, and soaking in his Word. You aren’t battling this alone in your own strength (that’s where we get into trouble). So invite him to see your challenging relationships in a new light this week. I promise he will show you a better way.

Prayer: Thank you for refining my heart and making it more like the person you know and see me be: rooted in my unchangeable identity of your favor. Thank you for your grace and love when I mess up. Thank you for always being with me. Let me turn and praise you when I am getting angry. Let me have self-control. Ultimately let me be freed from my sins so I can show your love to others and do your will for me as part of your kingdom. In Jesus’ name, I have all these glorious changes. Amen

Note: This blog contains excerpts from Love Letters from Poland, de Orlando, 2021.

Call To Action:

1. Pray and ask the Lord to help discover where your heart needs to let go of hurt, bitterness, or tension from a relationship.

2. Spend time with the Lord and meditate on 1 John 4:9-11. Ask God to give you a new awareness of his relentless love and forgiveness for you.