Sometimes, it’s actually right to leave.
Now, I’m a firm believer in ‘sticking around to get things fixed’; I have done that almost always. But there are times we need to separate for better results.
You see, sometimes, God wants us to face some pains so we can rejoice later, like in the case of Ruth. Ruth stuck with Naomi despite all the signs suggesting something opposite. ‘Don’t ask me to leave you. Your God shall be my God and your people shall be my people’ – Ruth 1:16. She was blessed for that unpopular decision.
However, there are times when people need to separate for the peace and happiness of the parties involved. Abraham had to call his nephew Lot and ask for separation because their herdsmen were always fighting.
Abram said to Lot, “Let’s not have fighting between us, between your shepherds and my shepherds. After all, we’re family. Look around. Isn’t there plenty of land out there? Let’s separate. If you go left, I’ll go right; if you go right, I’ll go left.” – Genesis 13:5-13.
Abraham also had to part ways with Haggar and her son Ishmael because the same house can’t host Isaac and Ismael. So, Abraham got up early the next morning, got some food together and a canteen of water for Hagar, put them on her back and sent her away with the child – Genesis 21:14.
When a relationship begins to show signs of toxicity, please consider leaving. When those around you constantly hurt your spirit, please separate. When someone is constantly demotivating you and devaluing your dreams, please search for other friends. When you’re devalued, dehumanised, and abused, please don’t stay. When you’ve tried your best but conflicts keep arising, please let everyone go to a different side of the land. After all, the land is very wide to accommodate everyone. When your values don’t align or the directions of your earthly journey are opposite, please separate.
It has nothing to do with hatred or unforgiveness or pride. Abraham still went to rescue Lot and his possessions when they were attacked and carried away – Genesis 14:14-16. He didn’t hate his nephew nor did he turn a deaf ear when Lot was attacked.
When God wanted to destroy Sodom and Gomorra, Abraham still pleaded on the behalf of Lot’s family – Genesis 18:20-33. So, separation doesn’t mean an absence of love.
Sometimes, the solution to that crisis is in leaving, not in staying. Stop feeling so guilty about it. You can fix it from a distance. Your mental and cardiac sanity is important. Stop forcing yourself to stay in the lives of people that have shown you severally that they want you to leave.
The departure of Jesus was propaedeutic to the arrival of the Holy Ghost. He could have physically stayed with us, but he said, ‘if I don’t go away, the Comforter won’t come. But when I go, I’ll send Him to you’ – John 16:7. And before His ascension, He said, “Behold I’m with you always even unto the end of the earth.”
So, sometimes it’s actually right to leave. You lose now to gain later; you leave today to meet tomorrow and cry now to rejoice later.
We just need God to direct us because it may actually be the time to let go and move on.
N.B: Divorce in marriage isn’t intended here.
God bless you and have a lovely day.
