“When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.”
— attributed to Lao Tzu
I came across this saying this morning and found myself pondering.
There’s something compelling about it because I think all of us have some dissatisfaction with our lives, some more than others. Our minds often seem to take us to what might have been and what might be. But it also doesn’t quite sit right.
For one thing, I’m not sure we can “let go of what we are.” At least not completely. Our DNA defines us to some extent. So does our past: the good, the bad, and the ugly. We are complicated … we are messy … we are unique … and we, according to the Psalms, are beautifully and wonderfully made.
More importantly, though, I’m not convinced that we should try and let go of who we are. Our histories, relationships, stories, and experiences have not only shaped us, but they have also impacted others. We aren’t islands.
And yet, there’s also something profoundly true in the saying.
We can become so attached to a particular understanding of ourselves that we stop growing. We say, “That’s just who I am,” when what we really mean is either, “That’s who I’ve learned to be” or “That’s who I just accept all I’ll ever be.”
Those are excuses that rob us of our potential.
The quote I began with this morning captures the essence of a philosophy that emphasizes a way of living that doesn’t depend upon rigid control, but allows us to release our belief that we’re trapped, that we have to remain exactly as we are.
There’s wisdom in that. There’s wisdom in letting go of some of the things we tell ourselves. “I’ve always been this way.” “This is just who I am.” “I could never change.”
The Bible offers a slightly different perspective. The question isn’t just, Who am I? It’s, Who am I becoming?
The Bible doesn’t tell us to let go of who we are. Instead, Scripture speaks of transformation and renewal. There’s something wonderfully freeing about that.
Christian growth isn’t ultimately about becoming someone we have imagined ourselves to be. It is about becoming more fully the person God created and is calling us to be.
There is a letting go involved. But it’s not a letting go of who we are so much as a letting go of the false versions of ourselves that we have accumulated along the way.
We let go of the person who has to be right. We let go of the person who needs everyone’s approval. We let go of the person who believes the past gets the final word. We let go of the person who has decided, “This is as good as I will ever be.” We let go of past mistakes and fears. We let go of the inner voice that tells us our worth must be earned. And perhaps most importantly, we let go of our need for control and let God go to work in us and on us.
We are known. Loved. Called. Claimed. The goal isn’t to become somebody else. The goal is to become who we were created to be.
Paul writes near the end of his letter to the Galatians: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20).
I don’t think Paul means he disappears or that he gives up what makes him Paul. I think the opposite happens. Paul becomes more fully Paul because Christ lives in him. He has been made whole.
So perhaps our prayer for this morning isn’t: “God, help me become whoever I might be.” Perhaps we should pray: “God, help me release whatever keeps me from becoming who you created me to be.”
What do you think?
