Today's devotional is tackling one of the hardest acts of the Christian life: Letting Go and Trusting God. Whether it’s letting go of a past mistake, a dream that died, or control over a situation, the urge to grasp tightly is human nature. But our focus verses today offer a radical vision of what happens when we finally release our grip.
The book of Joel was written after a devastating catastrophe—a massive locust plague that wiped out all the crops, symbolizing utter ruin and judgment. When the people repent and turn back to God, He offers this breathtaking promise of complete restoration:
“Be glad, O children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God... I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent among you. You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. And my people shall never again be put to shame.”
Joel 2:23, 25-26
This passage gives us three powerful reasons to open our hands and let go of what we can't control.
Trust God with the Loss: Notice the stark honesty in verse 25: "I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten..." We often try to pretend the painful years, the years of loss, failure, or setback, never happened. We cling to regret, replaying the mistakes in our minds, trying to "fix" the past. God tells us, "I see the devoured years. I acknowledge the loss." Letting go means giving Him the list of things the "locusts" of life have taken: lost time, lost opportunities, lost innocence, or lost relationships. It's trusting that the devastation was not final. God doesn't just fill in the holes; He promises to restore what was lost, bringing fruitfulness even out of the barren ground of our past.
Trust God with the Provision: Verse 23 assures us of God’s provision, "he has poured down for you abundant rain, the early and the latter rain, as before." And verse 24 promises "the threshing floors shall be full of grain; the vats shall overflow with wine and oil." Our anxiety often comes from trying to control the outcome. We worry about where the "rain" will come from next. Will there be enough "oil" for the future? Letting go means ceasing our desperate efforts to manufacture our own security and trusting the reliable, covenant-keeping nature of God. He will send the necessary rain (the resources, the clarity, the connections) at the right time. Our job is not to produce the rain; it is to prepare the fields (our hearts) to receive it.
Trust God with the Outcome: The ultimate promise in verse 26 is "and my people shall never again be put to shame." Shame is the burden we carry when we think our past failures or current lack define us. It is the fear that we are permanently diminished by what has happened. Letting go of the shame is the final, essential act of trust. God promises that when we turn to Him and allow Him to restore, the story doesn't end with the devastation. It ends with satisfaction, plenty, and praise. He doesn't just fill our physical stomachs; He satisfies the deep, human need to be valued and secure, removing the burden of shame forever.
What are you holding onto today; a failure, a worry, a relationship you can't fix? Are you still grieving the "years the locust has eaten" and trying to find the crumbs?
God is waiting for you to simply unclench your fist and place that thing in His capable, restoring hands. The guarantee is clear: If you let go of your grip, He will provide the rain, restore the loss, and fill your life with plenty and praise.
What one thing do you need to intentionally "let go" of today? Write it down, and then physically crumple the paper (or close the document) as an act of entrusting that loss or worry to God, claiming the promise of restoration!
