You know, I’ve realized that one of the biggest hindrances in our walk with God isn’t the devil—it’s us.
We carry around all this extra weight, stuff we think we need for protection or comfort, but it ends up holding us back. And I’m speaking from experience here.
There was a time when the Holy Spirit was telling Cade I wasn’t ready to be an elder yet. The truth? I had too much stuff layered on. I didn’t want the responsibility.
I didn’t want to let God fully take the reins. And it showed—I couldn’t move forward. I couldn’t even function in the gifts God had placed in me.
Hebrews 12:1–2 (NKJV) says,
“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith…”
This hit me hard. I had to lay it all down—my comfort, my pride, my need to control—and say, “Alright God, do it Your way.” And that’s when I finally surrendered.
Remember the scene in A Christmas Story where Ralphie’s little brother is so bundled up he can’t even get up when he falls in the snow? That’s how I was—spiritually weighed down.
Sometimes we layer ourselves up with “protection” because life feels cold and harsh. But in doing so, we lose mobility. We can’t run our race. We can’t even stand when we fall.
Maybe you’re doing the same thing. Maybe you’re holding on to things God’s been asking you to release. Don’t wait like I did. It’s not worth the delay.
Once I finally surrendered, I found that I could move forward. But then I hit another snag—I was rushing. Always in a hurry. Moving fast, but not really seeing people.
I was missing the whole point of the gifts God gave me. They weren’t just for me—they were for the people He’d called me to serve. And if I was too distracted to notice them, what was the point?
This season is a good reminder. The holidays bring all kinds of people into our path—family included—and I’ll be honest, sometimes I don’t look forward to that. But the truth is, God puts us in those rooms for a reason.
Jesus went home and got brushed off by the people who knew Him best. They didn’t see anything special because they were too familiar with Him. Sound familiar?
If you’ve ever felt like your family doesn’t take you seriously, you’re not alone. But Hebrews 12:14–15 (NLT) gives us a powerful instruction:
“Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.”
Bitterness will trip us up faster than anything else. That’s why we let go of sin. Not because we’re trying to be religious, but because we don’t want anything blocking our ability to hear the Holy Spirit.
Something changed when I finally submitted to God’s way of doing things. I began to notice that the Holy Spirit would speak to me more clearly. Sometimes loudly—because, let’s be honest, I need that.
And the anointing? It started to go with me everywhere. Suddenly, people who never noticed me before were shaking my hand and saying hi. I wasn’t doing anything different. It was the presence of God in me that was drawing them.
You carry that same anointing. It’s not about being special—it’s about being obedient.
I had a friend whose wife passed away. The Holy Spirit told me to attend the funeral, even though it was at a church that doesn’t teach the full truth of the Word.
I felt uncomfortable—annoyed, honestly. But I obeyed. I sat through the service, praying the whole time. And after it ended, I bolted for the door.
But the Holy Spirit said, “Go back in.” So I did. He told me to stand in the back and wait. And as people left the room, they stopped. One by one. Looked me in the eye. Shook my hand.
I was the only light in that room. The anointing drew them to me. Not because I’m special, but because I was obedient.
When my friend came, I hugged him and told him I’d still be there when the casseroles ran out. And then the Holy Spirit released me to go.
Everything I’ve been learning over the last couple of months boils down to this:
We all have gifts.
We’re called to use them with intention.
We must lay aside anything that keeps us from doing that.
And we’ve got to do it His way, not ours.
When we surrender and obey, He’ll place us exactly where we’re needed. He’ll give us the words. He’ll make us the light in the darkness. So why hesitate?
When we hold back from surrender, it’s just pride. That’s all it is. And pride is poison. Get rid of it.
Let God use you in every room you walk into. Say what He tells you to say. Do what He tells you to do. He knows what He’s doing.
