Detachment from Outcomes

Overview
Of all the many stories that we like to tell ourselves here in America, perhaps none is so intoxicating as the illusion of control. People do all sorts of things to maintain controlworry, manipulate, lie, cheat... the list goes on. Many of our sinful behavior stems directly from the fear that drives us to seek control. But Jesus counsels us instead not to worry about anything, but to seek Gods kingdom and leave all the rest in Gods hands to provide as he will. And Paul tells us not to be anxious, but to pray continuously. Both of them promise that if we let go of control, we will find abundant, life-giving peace. Practicing detachment from outcomes helps us in two ways: we become aware of how very often we do try to control our circumstances; and we take Jesus up on His words and see what happens. Approaching this practice experimentally allows us to simply see for ourselves that Jesus way is best! For more from the Bible, look at Matthew 6:7-13, 25-34; Hebrews 11:6-16; Philippians 4:4-7; Habakkuk 3:1719.

Practicing
This discipline involves three parts: first, meditating on Gods Word; second, identifying an area you tend to worry about; and third, taking a period of time to let go of the outcomes. Meditation on the Word Make some time to be alone with God, and take your Bible and journal. First, quiet down in Gods presence and invite Him to speak. You might name some of the things you carried in with you as worries, and give them, one at a time, to Gods control. Now, read Habakkuk 3:17-19 slowly. Look for any word or phrase that catches your attention, and treat these words like they are being highlighted for you by God. Dialogue with Him: why these words? What do you want me to understand? How do these words apply to my life today? Read the passage slowly through three or four times, leaving space for both your own thinking and also for listening for God to direct you. After you are done you may want to spend some time journaling. Identifying Control Areas After your time of meditation, consider some situations, circumstances or relationships that you tend to worry about. This might be a job, your direction in life, a close friendship, a class. If you have a hard time identifying these at first, you might consider: when does your stress level rise? When do you tend to feel nervous? What things continually recur in your thoughts, over and over? What do you rehearse in your mind ahead of time so you get it just right? If this is your first go around on this practice, you might want to pick a lower-level area to deal with (for example, practice this with a class that stresses you out instead of your high-anxiety relationship)it will be easier to start there. An Experiment in Letting Go Choose a set amount of time (48 hours is a good minimum, but dont get too ambitiousthree or four days at most). During this time, do your best not to hold onto outcomes in this situation. Do what you are responsible for, but beyond that, let go. For example: choose a verse (one of the ones listed above might be good) to return to every time you think about the situation; refuse to worry about it, instead turning your mind to something beautiful or excellent; it might be best not to talk about it, if that makes you worry; use the phrase, If the Lord wills, if only in your mind. You may need to take a break from the situation, if that is the only way to rest from worrying. Be in prayerask God to do what you cannot. Above all, do nothing out of fear. If fear is the motive, resist. (Remember, this is just for a few days. You only have to get through a short time!) During this time, start and end each day with the Lords Prayer (Matt 6:7-13), slowly and meditatively. Focus on each petition, one at a time, as you center on the God who alone is in control and who alone can provide for the outcomes. iMPORTANT NOTE: If you tend to avoid responsibility, be careful. Do not use this as an excuse to run from commitments. Also, do not make major life-change decisions through this practice. In most cases, you CAN detach from outcomes and still see through commitments and stay involved where God has you. Seek counsel if you think a big change is in order.