Knowing When to Pursue and When to Let Go

There are situations in life when we need to choose between pursuing a matter or letting it go. Only by seeking guidance from the Lord can we make the right decision.

When David found out that everything had been taken away from him and his men, they were distraught, and his men even considered killing him. However, in that critical moment, he took courage and sought the Lord for counsel. David asked: “Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?” And the answer was clear: “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all.”

There are things the enemy has stolen from us which are an integral part of our make-up and future, such as our identity, personality, gifting, purpose—things we definitely need to pursue and recover to fulfil our purpose and future.

When the Lord promises that we will recover what we have lost, we can have complete faith in His Word to provide all that we need for that promise to come to fruition. For instance, when David set out to pursue the Amalekites, the Lord sent him an Egyptian servant who guided him to his enemies. David then asked the servant, “Can you lead me down to this raiding party?” The servant replied, “Swear to me before God that you won’t kill me or hand me over to my master, and I will take you to them” (1 Samuel 30:14-15).

On the other hand, sometimes, when we seek the Lord’s guidance, we may hear a different response: “Let go and move on.” This can cause feelings of unforgiveness to rise up in us. We may feel it is unfair to have to let go. Navigating through these emotions can be difficult. Letting go without truly forgiving can result in lingering resentment. However, when we seek God’s guidance in the process of forgiving and letting go, He often surprises us with even greater blessings—blessings that can be more rewarding than we ever expected.

Having been in business for many years, my husband and I have faced situations where invoices remained unpaid for extended periods. After making several attempts to collect the money, we ultimately chose to let those amounts go. Throughout it all, the Lord has never let us down. He has always provided for us in various ways.

When we turn to Him, the Holy Spirit guides us to make wise choices. He understands that which aligns with His purpose for our lives and that which does not, helping us discern when to pursue a matter and when to step back.

The important thing is to always ask the Lord what to do.