Let Go or Set Free?
By Tillia Britt
In August 2023, rumors began to circulate around the company that another layoff was coming, leaving over 5,000 people unemployed. This kind of news had become more common than I'd liked, sending a wave of terror through the office, but for me, it was a strange sense of relief. For many disappointment and confusion turned into anger and distress which I knew was not from God [1 Corinthians 14:33/Psalm 46:1-3/2 Timothy 1:7]. Although the rumors were unsettling, they ultimately became a catalyst for a transformation I needed and never expected.
This layoff impacted everyone I’d worked with for the last 10 years. As a team, we’d grown together professionally and personally, and some even spiritually. And over the years, we’d celebrated milestones, shared loss and spent more time together as colleagues, than with our families. Worry and anxiety tried to grab hold of me. But instead of clinging to it, I clung to God's promises. (Psalm 46:1-3).
Many of us had more trust and loyalty in this company than our marriages, family, self and worst of all God [Proverbs 3:5-6]. Truthfully, it had become our “god”. The lowercase “g” god, that uses fear to control your actions. The god without any boundaries stealing our time, energy, and sense of worth. The one that snatched time with the people who loved you, to work more hours for the people who didn’t. This false idol demanded endless work with no reward, fueling your fear of losing its insufficient contributions. It promised growth while drowning you in tasks, making development an empty promise. This idol deafened others to your voice, diminishing your valid concerns. It rewarded excessive work while punishing attempts to maintain a healthy work-life balance. It deceived you into trusting it as your sole source, making you forget the true Source - God. [Exodus 20:3-6 / Phil. 4:19]! It had me in its clutches, just like everyone else. I'd forgotten who I was truly working for - God. [Colossians 3:22-24]. Desperate for air, I reached for God's word and His presence. It was there I realized I hadn't truly believed all His promises were meant for me too.
Truth is, I wanted to leave my job long before the pandemic but had convinced myself I just needed to find my place within the company. As the company shifted downhill, so did my attitude. Although I'd never compromise doing what’s right, I'd become stagnant in my work, discouraged to add value in ways I knew I should. This mindset had replaced my fulfillment (gratitude) with resentment (complaining) [Philippians 2:14] and I stopped producing fruits of the spirit [Galatians 5:22-26] and started producing “natural frustrations” since gratitude and complaining cannot co-exist. Everything around me seemed to be going wrong, leadership wasn't listening, the hard-working people were overworked and the hardly working people were overlooked creating tension versus building relationships. The firstborn thief (devil) came with his tricks to kill, steal and destroy our team and the people in it [John 10:10]. Many of us went from being lights in the room, to the dimmest lights. I went from encouraging others through God's word and praying for team members to complaining about everything and pleading with God to get me out of there. I'd gotten so consumed that it was devouring my spirit in an unhealthy way. I prayed constantly, asking God for a way out without impacting my finances because my family depended on me to provide in more ways than one. I held on, convincing myself that I would not allow the negativity of this job to steal the stability it provided to my family. Fifteen years invested in this company, I knew I wasn’t going to leave and the only way out would be if I was “let go”.
The past few years had been so hard. For two years I served in full force with every ounce of my being and had become stretched thin. Then in 2019 the storm of life headed my way and everything changed instantly. Even though I knew God was right there with me, I didn’t know how to lean fully on Him. In less than 4 years my husband became disabled, my job became toxic, I became pregnant, my grandmother passed away – leaving my mom devastated and unable to care for herself, and I’d miscarried our second child under the pressure. I'd become the sole caregiver to 3 individuals not including myself while working a full-time job. In the midst of it all there was a pandemic that isolated us from the rest of the world. I was drowning and didn’t know that God's strength could rescue me [Psalm 73:26].
As the rumors turned to reality, I knew that strange sense of relief came because my prayers were about to be answered. Initially, I thought my "paid time off" would be me receiving unemployment because I didn’t know how much longer I could hang on. But God had it all figured out. I ended up with a severance that would provide me financial stability, educational development and time off. This was the ultimate answer to allow me to rest, recover, and rebuild - it was far more than I could have imagined [Isaiah 55:8]. Now to put things into perspective my job was not bad. What was bad was that I'd let it become my god and I lost sight of my true provider. Although this transition is not easy, God has given me a second chance to get things right, to fulfill purpose, and to see clearly. This experience taught me the importance of setting boundaries, trusting in God's plan, and prioritizing my well-being. Since then, I have been able to find myself again. This is when I realized perspective mattered and I wasn’t being "let go.” I had been “set free”. Even in the darkest of moments, God's light can lead you to a brighter future (if you follow it). This is your reminder to let go of what no longer serves you, and embrace the freedom to find your true purpose.
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
Romans 8:28
Remember: When we surrender control and trust in His plan, God can use even the most challenging circumstances to set us free.
Prayer: 🙏🏼 Dear Lord, help me to see where I've misplaced my trust. Remind me that You are my true source, so that I can be set free from the things that keep me from you! In Jesus name, Amen.
Reflect:
What areas of your life might be overshadowing God? Check your boundaries in these areas.
Are there things you need to let go of to find true fulfillment? Be honest with yourself, so you can be honest with God.
Do you believe that God’s promises in the bible are for you? Write down His promises.
