What habitual avoidance tells us about faith

Some things we habitually avoid are things we need to mind instead. Avoiding them will not make them go away. Avoiding them will make problems that are impossible to avoid later.

Exercise and healthful eating are in this category.

So are the difficult aspects of relationships with children, parents, siblings, and spouses. Things like forgiveness, reconciliation, and working through issues and misunderstandings.

Habitually avoiding some things, however, may be a signal that we should let them go instead:

The job that feels like it is paying the bills but impoverishing your relationships and soul.

The “friend” who sucks all of the oxygen out of the relationship and weighs you down with being clingy and needy.

The social circle that always seems stuck in reliving the glory of the past, complaining about the present, and has no plan for the future.

The religion that seems like good “fire insurance,” but upholds a god who you would never actually want to meet.

We’re not actually avoiding the person or situation or thing itself; we’re avoiding letting go (which is what we know we really need and want).

When we habitually avoid something, we need to ask ourselves what our fear is telling us: Is it time to go forward in bravery (faith) or time to let go (also faith)?

Grace and peace.