Contrary to popular belief, once we’ve identified our disordered attachments, dropping them can be easy. All you have to do is see [with eyes of faith] and begin to live out the following truths:
1) Without disordered attachments, I grow closer to God. I get happier. So focus on the resulting joy from letting go rather than the sorrow of my ‘loss’ to help you shed disordered attachments.
2) Without disordered attachments, we enjoy created things, ideas, and situations more. They don’t rule me. So I don’t suffer the emotional strain of trying to hoard or protect them. And if (when) I’m called to let them go, it’s not hard.
3) Without disordered attachments, I’m a more rounded person. Attachments keep a person focused on the things. They prevent us from developing a more varied taste for other things and people. Without them, there’s freedom to change, enjoy, and live.
Jesus tells us that we should rely on God alone. Ignatius showed us how to pray to release ourselves from disordered attachments: “Take, Lord, receive all I have and possess.” The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius teach us how to identify our disordered attachments, and how to to pray for the grace to release them. The resulting freedom lightens our load, and opens our heart to God more fully. So dump those disordered attachments, and bring on the joy!
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