Letting Go of Resistance
“God has shown me that I should not call
anyone impure or unclean.”
Acts 10:28
Peter initially resisted God’s call to enter the home of a Gentile. Bound by tradition and assumptions, he told the Lord, “Surely not!” (Acts 10:14). But God was doing something new. As Peter yielded to the Spirit, he witnessed a powerful outpouring of grace—Cornelius and his household believed and received the Holy Spirit.
This moment became a turning point, not only for Peter but for the Church. God’s sovereignty was unfolding, reaching beyond cultural barriers. Peter realized: “If God gave them the same gift he gave us… who was I to think that I could oppose God?” (Acts 11:17).
Richard Foster reminds us in Celebration of Discipline: “Willpower will never succeed in dealing with the deeply ingrained habits of sin.” Trying harder only deepens the problem. Emmet Fox put it this way: “As soon as you resist mentally… you endow it with more power.” True transformation comes not from resistance or self-effort, but from surrender.
Jesus taught, “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34). Our deepest resistance to God often lies hidden in the heart—in prejudice, fear, or pride.
Peter’s breakthrough came when he stopped resisting and started listening. May we do the same. Instead of opposing God’s Spirit, let us follow His prompting.
Prayer:
Lord, help me to surrender my resistance and follow your Spirit. Break down every boundary I’ve built. Fill me with your grace and lead me in your ways. Amen.
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