Letting go of a role

A little over a year ago, I was dipping my toe into leadership again by co-leading a Hello Mornings group. It was a pleasure to be leading with a friend of mine and I loved being able to contribute to a group that had been so key in deepening my relationship with God. I loved the perfect level of commitment it offered for that season of life. I could exercise my skills in accountability and planning, while touching base with people without adding much more to my days. I didn’t have to go out anywhere (apart from a few catch up/play dates at my friend’s house which is never a chore) and it encouraged me to stay on track too. At the end of each session, the Hello Mornings organisers ask you to pray about whether you would continue in leading the following 6 week session. Honestly, I don’t really think I did that most of the time. I enjoyed it and just kept at it.

Somewhere in the end of last year and the start of this one, the session had ended and the call to pray and let the organisers know if you would be continuing in leadership went out. I did an obligatory level of prayer not really expecting any answer and planning to just keep going as I had been, even though I was starting in the new MOPS role. I was so surprised when I felt a clear “no” from God. I didn’t want to listen at first and tried praying again a few times to check. I really struggled to let go, especially wrestling with feelings of letting my friend down. The “no” came with the impression that I needed to step down to allow others to step up, as well as focusing my capacity on the other areas of my life that God was calling me to engage in. I had to hold back over the next couple of sessions too until there was someone else stepping up.

There comes a point in increasing capacity (actually that should be many points) when you have to give up good things to allow space for the best or the next thing. Capacity blockers do not have to be only negative things in our lives. The good can become a blocker when we are unwilling to let go.

Is there anything in your life now that you know you should have let go?

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This post is part of a series called “My journey of increasing capacity” written as part of the Write 31 Days challenge. To read other posts in this series please click on the button below, in the side bar or on the Write 31 Days 2015 tab at the top.