The two phrases -- “letting go” and "giving up”-- are two totally different phrases. However, sometimes we get pulled into thinking they mean the same thing. According to Dictionary.com, let go is defined as: “allowing to escape, to set free.” The definition of giving up is “to abandon hope.” Like I said, the phrases, by definition, mean two different things.
Something that I have learned this past year is to never be fearful of letting go. Holding on to something toxic can just damage you further. As I said before, there is a huge difference between letting go and giving up. Unfortunately, I just came to the realization of this and had to learn the hard way. Giving up means you are selling yourself short, even though there is a greater opportunity out there for you if you just keep pushing a little longer. It means you have allowed fear to take hold of your life and your goals. Now, you see, the enemy loves to find your weak spot. And when he does, he will keep attacking you. This is why we cannot let the devil have a foothold on us. Sometimes we do give in to this little voice inside our heads and give up. Giving up is simply self-defeat.
On the other hand, letting go means you are freeing yourself from something that is no longer beneficial to your personal growth. It could be a relationship, a person, or something internally that you are struggling with. It also means removing toxic people and toxic mindsets from your life so that you can make room for the relationships or thoughts that will benefit your well-being. Letting go means putting yourself first instead of the people or the thoughts that are tearing you down. Why should anyone else’s thoughts or approval effect our happiness? You have the control and You choose your life. Nobody deserves having toxic relationships or thoughts in their life.
Sometimes, letting go can feel like giving up. You have to know that when you let go you are helping yourself, but when you are giving up you are only putting yourself at a disadvantage. When you let go of something the enemy of your soul will try and tell you that you are just giving up, or that this person or thought in your life will just go away or get better. It is important to never listen to the enemy! When this happens, it is important to just start filling yourself with truth.
We need to see how God sees us and what He thinks about us. In 1 Peter 2: 9, it says:
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”
In this verse, it tells us how special we are to God and how much he wants good things for us. So the next time you think that you should let go of something that is only causing you pain, let it go! If it is purely something that you just don’t feel like doing, do not give up! It will all pay off in the long run.
