The Burden of Resistance

The Weight We Carry ...

If destiny is a river, then resistance is the act of swimming against the current. At first, it feels powerful. It feels like control. We tell ourselves: “I will not be carried. I will decide. I will fight until I get what I want.”

But the longer we struggle, the heavier the water becomes. Our arms tire, our lungs burn, and eventually, we are left gasping. Resistance doesn’t make us strong; it makes us weary.

Many of us are not defeated by fate itself, but by our refusal to accept it. Life is not cruel because of the path—it becomes cruel because we cannot let go of the picture in our heads.

A Tale of Broken Dreams

There was once a young woman named Elena. From childhood, she dreamed of becoming a lawyer. Her parents spoke proudly of it, her teachers encouraged it, and she imagined herself standing in courtrooms, commanding attention with her arguments.

She applied to law school three times. Each time, she was rejected. Still, she pressed on, taking prep courses, hiring tutors, studying endlessly. But again, rejection.

Elena grew bitter. She told herself that life was unfair, that others had opportunities she was denied. Her friends moved forward—marriages, careers, travels—while she remained stuck.

Then one day, tired and angry, she applied for a job outside her dream—teaching high school debate. At first, she saw it as failure. But slowly, something unexpected happened. She began to shine. Her students adored her, parents praised her, and competitions filled with her protégés winning trophies brought her a deep satisfaction.

Years later, a former student wrote to her: “You changed my life. I would never have found my voice if not for you.”

Elena realized then: her destiny was not to speak for others in a courtroom, but to help others discover their own voices. The resistance had caused her years of pain. But when she finally released it, she found freedom.

Why We Resist?

Why do we hold on so tightly to paths that aren’t ours? The answer lies in fear.

• Fear of failure: If I let go, will people think I gave up?
• Fear of the unknown: If I stop fighting for this, what else is there?
• Fear of shame: I promised others, I built my identity around this—how can I admit it wasn’t meant for me?

Resistance is often pride disguised as perseverance. There is wisdom in persistence, yes, but there is also wisdom in surrender. The tragedy is that most of us don’t know the difference.

The Illusion of Control

We live in a culture that worships control. Motivational slogans tell us: “You can be anything you want. Never quit. Hustle harder.” And while determination matters, there is a shadow side to this philosophy.

Sometimes, no matter how hard we push, the door does not open—because it was never our door. And if we waste our lives pounding on the wrong door, we miss the open gate waiting quietly a few steps away.

Control is an illusion. You can plan, prepare, and execute perfectly, but you cannot dictate outcomes. You can sow seeds, but you cannot command the rain.

The Pain of Holding On

Think of the last time you clung to something not meant for you. Perhaps it was a relationship already crumbling, a career path draining your soul, or a dream that kept slipping away.

The tighter you held on, the more it hurt. You lost sleep, you lost joy, you lost yourself. And still, you told yourself: “If I just try harder, maybe it will work.”

This is the burden of resistance: the weight of carrying what destiny has already taken from your hands.

A Story of Love Lost

Once, there was a man who loved deeply. He poured his heart into a relationship, believing she was “the one.” But slowly, she drifted. She became distant, uninterested, cold.

Still, he clung. He wrote letters, bought gifts, begged for attention. He sacrificed his own dreams just to keep her. Until one day, she left.

He collapsed in grief, convinced his life was over. But years later, he met another woman—someone whose presence felt like home. She saw him, valued him, encouraged his growth. Together, they built a life of joy and stability.

Looking back, he realized: if she had stayed, he would never have met the one meant for him. His suffering came not from losing her, but from resisting her departure.

Surrender as Strength

Surrender is often misunderstood. We think it means weakness, laziness, or failure. But true surrender is not giving up—it is giving in to wisdom.

• It is saying: “I have done my best. If this is not for me, I release it.”
• It is choosing to trust that destiny knows more than your limited vision.
• It is courage, not cowardice, to open your hands and let go.

Practical Reflection: Letting Go

Here is an exercise you can try:

• Think of one area in your life where you are resisting. Perhaps it’s a dream, a relationship, or an expectation.
• Ask yourself: “Am I holding on out of faith, or out of fear?”
• Write down what your life might look like if you released it. What new space would open up? What relief might you feel?
• Whisper to yourself: “If it is meant for me, it will return. If not, I trust what is written.”

Repeat this daily until your grip begins to soften.

The Freedom Beyond Resistance

When you stop resisting, life begins to flow again. Energy returns. Peace returns. Possibility returns. The river carries you forward, and you realize that you were never drowning—you were simply swimming against the current.

To release resistance is to reclaim joy. It is to free yourself from unnecessary suffering. It is to say: “I trust the hand that writes my story, even when I do not understand the chapter.”

Closing Thoughts

The burden of resistance is heavy because it was never meant to be carried. Fate is not your enemy; your refusal is.

Stop holding doors that close. Stop forcing what slips away. Trust that what leaves was never yours, and what remains is enough.

When you release resistance, you step into harmony with destiny. You walk lighter. You breathe easier. And you discover a truth that changes everything:

The hand that writes does not take to hurt you—it takes to guide you.