Letting Go of What We Love

I went out to eat with a friend this week and paid my bill with cash. When I didn’t receive my two-dollar change, this story came to mind, and I shared it with our server:

A little girl loved her well-worn stuffed puppy. One day, her father asked her to give it to him. Confused and upset, she resisted. Tears filled her eyes as she held on even tighter. Still, her father lovingly asked again.

Finally, with great sadness, she placed the toy in his hands. Then he smiled at her and gave her what he had been holding behind his back the entire time: a real puppy—a gift far greater than what she had been holding onto.

How often do we do the same with God?

We hold tightly to what is familiar—our plans, our timing, our expectations—because it feels safe. Even when God gently asks us to release something, we hesitate. We don’t see what He sees. We don’t understand what He’s doing. And often, it is the fear of letting go that keeps us from moving forward.

But God is not trying to take from us—He is inviting us to trust Him.

I, myself, had a hard time letting go and giving God my dreams of becoming an artist and author. Why? Because of the fearful thought, what if God says no? What if He has other plans for me? My dreams were such a passion of mine, and I held onto them so tightly, not realizing I turned them into idols by placing them above God.

It took years for me to be able to say this: Lord, I give you my dreams and lay them at Your feet. I put my trust in You, and Your plans for me, even if You have something else for me. I know Your way is better, so I choose You. I accept what You have for me, even if it may not be what I expect, but I know it will always be what’s best for me.

The more I confessed this prayer, the more I felt encouraged and at peace. I realized, He didn’t want to change my dreams—He wanted me to surrender control and trust that He is the one who guides my hands and brings provision, creativity, and favor.

Letting go of what you love is not easy. But trust opens the door for God to work in ways we could never orchestrate on our own.

I told our server that the father in the story is just like God, offering us something better, and that’s Jesus. I asked her for the change back because I had something better. You should have seen the doubtful look she gave me. She likely felt disappointed, thinking she had only received a two-dollar tip, but I saw a hint of hope in her eyes as she handed me the change.

She was well rewarded—what I blessed her with, God will do so much more!

What is God asking you to trust Him with? Your family, health, career, or dreams? Be committed to your personal relationship with Jesus and hold on to His promise:

Psalm 84:11 (NKJV) says, No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.  

God never asks for surrender without purpose, and He never wastes what you place in His hands. He is in control—entrust to Him what you hold dear. Surrender is not the end of your hopes and dreams; it is where God begins to fulfill them.