The earliest mystics understood the Way of Jesus as a path of surrendering, giving up, letting go rather than gathering, claiming, demanding. That is why the left the comforts of their homes for the barrenness and seclusion of the desert.
For them love, forgiveness and compassion were the highest values, but they were also concerned about things which kept them from loving, forgiving and being compassionate. They understood that some things could prevent one from being kind and from caring for others. By holding on, fearfully, to so many things, one fails to live the higher life, the life for God and others. By letting them go, one inherits the deeper spiritual things.
This sounds wonderful. But it is no so easy. One has to put in an effort to let go, to surrender, to be compassionate. One has to exert oneself, but also be patient with oneself. It does not simply happen. This desire to let go, must be sought and strived for.
It is not merely a matter of being kind or caring for others – which is difficult as is. It is also a matter of leaving behing long-standing prejudices, or abandoning cherished convictions. It means one has to sacrifice firm beliefs in how other people should live, act and behave. It means that one has to understand that our desire to control others, is not helpful.
On our spiritual journey we need to come to a point where we understand that our companions are different than we would like to think and demand. They do not necessarily share our own exalted view of our status and power. And we are not always able to let them act as we wish them to behave. We must be ready to understand and accept that we lack the power to force others.
One of the most important spiritual value then becomes the practical advice of Jesus: do not worry about tomorrow – it will look after itself. Look at the birds and the lilies. They live, they exist, without worry and concerns. They bath in the divine care.
When one does this, something special happens. When we can let go of our worries and concerns, we leave our stress behind us. Then we can reject all those who want to control our lives in negative ways and force us to do what they think is best for us. Then we live without the tension of having to perform at the cost of ourselves and our families. Then we learn to discern the divine will.
We must let go... We must live beyond all the unfair pressures, not only of other on us, but also of our own inner, natural desires.
Of course, it can mean something as simple as living more simply. Getting rid of luxuries and of the desire to have more and more possessions and wealth. It may mean to give away much of what we own so abundantly and of which we really need so little to be happy.
And when we live the simpler life, we learn to be content with what we have, to appreciate that we still are privileged, to be grateful that we can enjoy life in its simplicity and beauty. Our letting go then becomes a way of discovering spiritual beauty and joy. If we can let go, beauty and peace enter our lives.
To let go, to give up one’s life, is to gain hundredfold...
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