
Why Letting Go Is Harder Than It Sounds
In my last post, I wrote about running the race of faith while dragging heavy rocks from the past. I encouraged readers to “cut the cord” — to release shame, guilt, and old failures that God has already forgiven.
But here’s the truth many people live with:
They don’t refuse to let go because they don’t want freedom.
They struggle because they don’t know how to let go — and in some ways, letting go feels frightening.
Shame can become familiar. And familiar can feel safe.
Over the years, I’ve used an illustration that helps explain why old thought patterns are so hard to break. It comes from something many people today have never seen — an LP record player.
Before digital music, songs were played on large vinyl records. A needle would rest in a groove and move smoothly as the music played. But if the record got scratched, the needle would catch on that scratch and repeat the same sound over and over.
That’s how many of us experience shame.
Scripture calls this a pattern of thinking — and it tells us it can be retrained.
“Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.” (Romans 12:2, NLT)
Cutting the cord isn’t a single moment. It’s a practice.
Freedom may feel unfamiliar at first.
But unfamiliar doesn’t mean unsafe.
It just means you’re learning to run in a new way.
