21 - Embracing Change

I think it’s easier to handle failure than it is to deliberately walk away from success. When we fail, we have no choice but to face reality sooner or later and admit that we’ve fallen short. But when we succeed at something we tend to grow proud, and as much as we may complain about all that such success demands of us, we cling to it desperately. It gives us meaning. It validates our existence. It becomes more than what we do; it defines who we are. So to even contemplate letting go becomes a very personal threat. We view it as an attack and those who dare to suggest it to us, as enemies. But the seasons of our lives must change, and the fact is there’s no stopping that change even if we try. So we must hold all things loosely. Not grip them. In other words, see the blessings and success in our lives as gifts on loan from God, not permanent possessions that we’ll keep forever.