When the Things We Want to Release Are the Very Things God Wants to Use
There are seasons in life when our hands grow weary from holding on. The burdens, the disappointments, and even certain callings feel too heavy. Our natural instinct is to release them—to let go and walk away. Sometimes, this desire comes not from rebellion but from exhaustion. Yet in God’s kingdom, what we long to let go of may be the very thing He intends to use for His glory.
Think of Moses. He wanted to run from his past in Egypt and the memories of failure. Yet God called him back, using the staff in his hand—ordinary and unimpressive—to part seas and display divine power. Paul, too, often spoke of a “thorn in the flesh” that he may have wished to cast off, but God allowed it to remain, showing that His grace was sufficient and His strength made perfect in weakness.
In our walk with Christ, surrender is essential, but surrender does not always mean release. Sometimes surrender means staying. It means trusting that the career that feels stagnant, the ministry that seems unnoticed, the gift that feels too small, or the struggle that keeps us humble may be the very soil in which God plants His glory.
When we rush to let go, we may miss the refining. When we cling to Him instead of the desire to escape, we position ourselves to witness His transforming power. What feels like a weight might become a testimony. What seems insignificant could be the vessel for miracles.
Letting go is wise when God says, “Lay it down.” But holding on is holy when God whispers, “I am not done with this yet.” The key is discernment—seeking His will, not just our relief.
So before you release that dream, abandon that calling, or walk away from that assignment, pause and ask: Is this something God is asking me to surrender—or is it something He will use for His glory?
Our lives, after all, are not about comfort but about Christ. And sometimes the very thing we want to let go of is the very thing He will use to reveal Himself to the world.
