At the time of this writing, tomorrow will be Tuesday, May 20th, 2025.
This date might not be special to you, but it’s an important day for me. In fact, it’s a date I’ve had marked on my calendar for some time now, and I have been anxiously counting down the days. Finally, tomorrow is almost here!
You might be wondering what’s so special about tomorrow. It’s not my birthday, and it’s not even the birthday of one of my friends, family members, or loved ones. It’s not my anniversary, and it’s not even the date of a specific milestone in my life. Instead, tomorrow is a special day because I will be undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. In other words, I will be having laparoscopic surgery to remove my gallbladder.
Without going into too many personal details, I have been dealing with some symptoms for the past few months. I eventually had a painful attack that put me in the emergency room one evening. After going through all the necessary tests, it was determined that I have a hyperkinetic gallbladder. This is a condition where the gallbladder contracts too forcefully or frequently. A normal gallbladder ejects bile at about 35-75%, but a hyperactive gallbladder has an ejection fraction over 80%. This often causes painful symptoms that can greatly impact a person’s quality of life. The treatment of this condition is the removal of the gallbladder.
I’m not looking forward to surgery, and I’m certainly not looking forward to recovery. Thankfully, the surgery I am facing isn’t too serious, and I should be back to my normal activities and routine within a few weeks. The good news is that this surgery should correct the issues and alleviate the painful and annoying symptoms I’ve been living with for the past few weeks. For this reason, tomorrow will be a good day, and that’s why I am excited about Tuesday, May 20th, 2025.
A Spiritual Perspective
I always try to view life from a spiritual viewpoint. There are often profound insights to be gained when we try to look at life situations through a spiritual lens. My upcoming gallbladder surgery caused me to stop and think. While the gallbladder is an often forgotten organ, it does serve a purpose. However, the body can live without a gallbladder, especially when that organ isn’t working properly or serving the needs of the body. As in my case, my body has to let go of what has now outlived its purpose. Getting rid of my gallbladder will help my body begin to heal and recover. I think there’s a deep spiritual lesson in that for each of us: sometimes you have to let go of something so you can heal!
You see, there are things in each of our lives that might not be working, things that might actually be detrimental to us. If we allow these things to remain in our life, they can become toxic and create all kinds of problems. Sometimes we need to cleanse our lives by letting go. Letting go is hard—and it can even be painful—but the prospect of peace, freedom, and healing awaits on the other side. When you stop and think about it, there are many areas in our lives where we need to learn to let go:
1. Old Habits
In Ephesians 4:22-24, the apostle Paul reminds us to “to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.“ God’s people must work each day at letting go of old habits, ways, and sins. Sin separates us from God, and it robs us of the joy of walking with the Lord in sweet fellowship. We must identify areas of deficiency in our lives and take intentional steps to remove sin.
2. Guilt
Many Christians struggle with guilt and shame over past sins. Even though we have been forgiven by God, it’s often extremely hard to forgive ourselves. We can be haunted by our past failures and regrets. But we need to reflect more on the power of the cross! The apostle Paul reminds us there is “no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). God has accepted us, forgiven us, and set us free through the perfect work of his son.
3. Control
Sometimes we struggle in life because we don’t want to give complete control to God. We like to sit in the driver’s seat, micromanage the outcomes, and feel responsible for our future. But the plain truth is we are not in control. This is okay, and it’s actually a good thing! God holds the future in his hands, and he sees all things from the beginning to the end. It will all be okay. Learn to trust God more. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
4. Bitterness
It’s hard to get past the pain and hurt we experience in this life. Hurtful words and actions leave marks that we often take to our grave. Some people carry bitterness and anger in their hearts for a lifetime. The Scriptures teach us to “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you“ (Ephesians 4:31-32). Carrying hatred in your heart is like toxin in your bloodstream—it’s only going to hurt you! Don’t live chained to the past. Don’t let those who hurt you keep living rent free in your head. Let go of bitterness and hatred. Choose a path of peace and forgiveness—not for them, but for you!
Conclusion
Tomorrow I will be letting go of my gallbladder. But if I am being honest with myself, there are other things in my life that need to go too. I am sure you can take an inventory of your life and identify things that should go also. Maybe you need to let go of fear, worry, and anxiety. Maybe it’s pride and self-reliance that needs to go. Perhaps you need to let go of worldly attachments and priorities. Maybe you need to let go of a desire to please people. You might need to let go of a relationship. Maybe you simply need to let go of the past. Letting go is a necessary step to follow Jesus closer. It’s an act of faith that opens the door for transformation, healing, and peace. Don’t let fear keep you from letting go. Take whatever steps are needed in your life today, and I hope these steps bring you closer to greater peace and healing.