My Porch of Peace: Learning to Let Go

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven … a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away. (Ecclesiastes 3:1,5)

There are times when letting go is so hard.

Nine years ago my husband and I decided to move to California. For years, my husband’s work wanted us come to the West Coast and suddenly it seemed possible.

We put our home in Atlanta on the market and turned our eyes westward. We found a nice area to live and built a house. Everything in the home was just what we wanted. I had spent hours picking out flooring, cabinets, counters, appliances, and surround sound systems. The layout was perfect, the style was perfect, everything was perfect.

We thought we’d live a perfect life in our perfect home for the rest of our perfect little lives.

Then almost six years to the day, we moved out.

It was a crazy set of circumstances only God could orchestrate. Our home sold before we listed it, and before long, we were standing at the front door of our new home.

This house is not like our last one. It’s a not-so-perfect house, with not-so-perfect style, and a not-so-perfect layout.

It’s quaint and oh so quirky.

I cried over having to let go of the other house. Yes, we realized it no longer fit our needs, and four bathrooms really did take a long time to clean, and we were disappointed to not have friends near us, but it was better than a place I didn’t quite love, right?

Two years have gone by and I have slowly learned to let go and give God my days in this house.

It’s not because I’ve had some big revelation of faith or super-naturally figured things out. Honestly, I’m not even sure if “here” was, or is, God’s plan. I’m not sure how we fix the roof, or the bathrooms, or the crazy wiring. I’m not sure if this is a place we’re passing through, or our home for years to come.

Most days my questions and fears flow like a flood, but it’s okay.

I’ve got my porch.

photo: Raye Wortel

photo: Raye Wortel

For me, it’s the best part of this house. I sit in it’s shade and look out at distant trees and open sky.

It’s where I write and read and think and pray.

It’s something our perfect house never had.

God meets me here with cool breezes even on warm summer days. I see remnants of sunsets and listen to birds sing their morning songs. I can sit and watch and wonder and no one sees me.

It has become my porch of peace. Here, in the midst of this imperfect house with never-ending problems, I have found a place for my soul to rest. Something I have never had.

It is the good – the good of a gracious Father, I would have missed if I chose to cling to what was.

It’s easy to want to keep for ourselves the things or places that make sense. To hang on to what’s easy or familiar. But when they’re lost or circumstances change, we have a decision to make. Do we keep looking back – wanting what was, or do we let go and look for the good right where we are?

Letting go means letting God’s good come into your life.

Let go. Let God. Let good come.

May you find courage this week to let go and let God’s goodness bring you a porch of peace all your own.

The only things we can keep are the things we freely give to God.  What we try to keep for ourselves is just what we are sure to lose. – C.S. Lewis

6 Replies

  1. Jim Gale

    Thank you so much for sharing this Raye.

    1. Raye Wortel

      You are so welcome, Jim!

  2. Diane P.

    Thank you, for this wonderful reminder of how God knows our needs best. Your “peace porch” is a sweet reminder of what the contentment journey can be! Right now as we contemplate selling, moving, or staying where we are, in this our answered-prayer-home is timely. God directing us right now in our decisions if we just look for his direction and listen for His still small voice! I can’t wait to come for tea in your “heavenly home” one day! It will be perfect. Thank you for your wisdom for my troubled heart today. It was a sweet reminder of His voice to me!

    1. Raye Wortel

      You are always welcome for tea Diane! Thank you for your sweet words, and may you know soon what God has in store for you.

  3. Lori perez

    That porch sounds wonderful. That is something that I am always striving for. To have a special place, just for me and God. Thank you for sharing your porch.

    1. Raye Wortel

      You’re welcome Lori! When we turn to Him and let go, he will create “just for us” places in unexpected ways.

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