There’s a time to say goodbye

“Above all else, guard your heart, because everything you do flows from it.”

— Proverbs 4: 23 (NIV)

As my relative slowly backed out of my driveway, I waved goodbye. She had stopped by to deliver some of her good news. I was glad she was able to say goodbye to some of her troubling problems.

This morning when I woke up, I felt like I was being led to establish some goodbyes so I could be more productive.

Over the years, God has been teaching me about goodbyes. Sometimes, it’s time to say goodbye to a person so that one of us — or both — can grow. Oftentimes, we can get stuck helping a person who just won’t learn, to the point of stealing our time and joy. Sometimes, to refresh our lives with some sanity and peace, a healthy good-bye is necessary.

It’s not always a person we say goodbye to, sometimes we can be mixed up in a culture that isn’t good for us. Like in the book of Ruth. When Ruth’s husband and father-in-law died, her mother-in-law, Naomi, knew it was time to go back to her country and hometown. Naomi told Ruth she could stay, but it was time for her to go back home.

Ruth desired to go with her mother-in-law (and mentor) and learn from her wisdom and worship her God. She knew she had outgrown the unwise culture of idolatry in her town. This decision was life-changing for Ruth.

Ruth learned sometimes a goodbye is necessary to cultivate a new lifestyle.

Sometimes a goodbye is necessary to nourish ourselves. We may need to get more education or grow spiritually, or even move on in order get to a more prosperous place financially.

Like the lepers in 2 Kings 7:3, who in their starving state looked at each other and said, “Why sit here and die?” They took the chance that saying goodbye could mean nourishing themselves.

Saying goodbye isn’t always easy. We need to start with prayer and reflective listening to that voice within and assessing the circumstances around us.

If we listen closely, I believe we will know when God is leading us to guard ourselves by saying goodbye in order to say hello to a more enjoyable and purposeful life.

• Annettee Budzban is a Christian author of the book “Letters To A Friend,” speaker, life and writing coach and nurse. She can be contacted at annetteebudzban@aol.com.