Are you “Letting Them”?
As a designer, house-wife entrepreneur and mom of 3 - chiseling out some time for yourself is always hard. But this is the year of Intentionally Executing - so I joined a small book club for some much-needed ME TIME. It feels good to have a moment of reset and to live in the this is for Ashley moment. These kinds of resets has the creative juices flowing and I can’t wait to share what’s next.
But let’s get back to the Book Club- and the theme of day was “waiting to exhale” (Psalms 62:1) - in comfy pj’s we got right to it.
The book of the month is from Mel Robbins Book “Let Them” and it got me to thinking. Thinking about how often we are holding onto how people show up in our lives, instead of accepting them for who they are and believing them as the late great Maya Angelou would say. How trying to change these behaviors? Wither in a guiding way- or straight-out control. What does that do for you? Are you at peace?
Because accepting people and letting them do them, be them - is so Freeing.
Who Cares if people don’t understand you? Are inconsistent? Hurt you?
It will hurt, but forcing change (when Hello God doesn’t even do that with us) never really helps anyway. Reacting to negatives what does it do?
Matthew 7: 6 says it best DO NOT…
It’s about discernment because you are literally not for everyone.
Some people will fumble you, that doesn’t mean to dim yourself to fit in. You are not for everyone, so let them walk away.
The one who truly matters (God) is for you - we are reminded in the below scriptures:
Romans 8:31 (NIV)
Deuteronomy 20:4 (NLT)
Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)
Zephaniah 3:17 (ESV)
Psalms 118:6 (NIV)
Hebrews 13:5 (AMP)
Let’s get into the second half of the book “LET ME”
To make it simple stop trying to change yourself to fit into a mold God never designed for you. Walk in peace. Stop people pleasing. Say yes to you which may look like a no to others.
Is people pleasing really where it’s at? Let’s bring it back to the bible:
Galatians 1:10 - No need to people please if you are aligning yourself with God.
Proverbs 4:23 - It’s telling you “Hey boo, your heart is precious. Guard it - everything that we are flows from it.”
After living in a certain way for so long - putting up boundaries protecting your peace may feel like you are losing friends - lets face it even family too. But not everything is a loss. Sometimes we cannot reach a certain level in our life by holding on to the things we are meant to let go. Isaiah 55: 8 - 9 reminds us to trust in God always he is the author of our story - so he already knows how it will go.
Romans 12:18 tells us to live at peace with everyone if possible.
I think the way we can do this is by putting on the lens of God and allowing people to live how they are while moving in love, grace and peace. We are never held accountable for the actions of others - but of our own actions.
Let them be - and believe them when they are.
And let us be who God designed us to be.
The book is a good read. I give it a 8.0 out of 10.
In ending the afternoon, as the decorations begin to be cleaned up - a giveaway happened. 4 lucky ladies received 1 of the mini bouquets that was used for center pieces. What a way to end the day with gifts and sharing in sisterhood.
