Andrea Springer is a regular face at Bon Secours and her words regularly appear on our blog. Today we are sharing her thoughts of Joan Chittister’s book, Scarred by Struggle, Transformed by Hope.
Let us know in the comments: are you like Andrea, and need the reminder to loosen your grip? Or does that come naturally to you?
The last few weeks, I’ve spent a lot of time with Joan Chittister’s book, Scarred by Struggle, Transformed by Hope. If you haven’t read it, get yourself a copy (and if you have read it, it’s worth a review). My markings show it as a well-worn resource. There’s a wonderfully powerful sentence on page 59: “Surrender is the moment in which we realize that it is time to become someone new. Surrender is not about giving up; it is about moving on.” These words are powerful because they offer an affirmation that it’s okay to let go, to move on, and to trust that God is in it. This is a challenge and a comfort, especially in times of transition, which can be chaotic. When we find ourselves in the midst of life’s changes, we tend to grip tighter and fight for control to make it stop or bend it to our will. (Well, maybe WE don’t, but I do…and I’m thinking I’m not the only one.)
Chittister offers us a fresh perspective: In the surrender, we are able to move, to be what we are meant to be in the next step. That’s not giving up — that’s loosening our grip and giving ourselves a break, and that is a comfort. In the great twister of turmoil that is transition, the realization that “my grip is holding me back, and it’s okay to let go” is a comfort.
May you find comfort in the chaos.