The Art of Holding Back: Why Restraint Can Be More Powerful Than Action

Your Creativity and the Constraints of Obedience to God. (Joshua 6:3)

Photo by Andrey Lear on Unsplash

Creativity is the pulse of the soul, the wild wind that lifts our wings, the fire that shapes mountains and melts iron into art. We dream, we dare, we push beyond the edges of the possible, carving wonders from the dust of the earth. This is how we were made—to color outside the lines, to build, to conquer, to explore.

But, what if, just once, the smartest move isn’t to innovate, but to hold back? What if, instead of pushing boundaries, the real challenge is staying within them? Because there are moments when Heaven calls for stillness, when the brush must rest, the sword must sleep, and the grand architect must yield to the Architect of all.

Picture the warriors of Israel, fierce and restless, standing before Jericho’s towering walls. Hands gripping spears, hearts burning with battle songs, minds racing with strategies to take the city by storm. Yet the command from God is a whisper that silences their war cry: "March around the city once a day for six days" (Joshua 6:3). No attack, no siege, no stroke of genius—just footsteps on dust, a quiet procession of obedience.

How tedious. How tiresome. How small.

But how necessary.

Did their fingers twitch to draw the bow? Did their minds fight against the absurdity? Yet, the greatest victory was not in their strength, nor in their strategy, but in their surrender.

God, the Giver of creativity, delights in the brilliance He has placed within us. He calls us to imagine, to shape, to bring forth beauty. Yet there are seasons when He asks us to lay it all down, to trade ingenuity for trust, to exchange brilliance for blind faith. To resist the urge to add a stroke to His masterpiece.

Obedience is not always thrilling. Sometimes, it is the slow monotony of marching in circles. Sometimes, it is the stillness of unspent energy. Sometimes, it is the ache of holding back when every fiber longs to act. Yet, when the moment is ripe, the walls will fall—not by the hand of the warrior, but by the breath of God.

So here lies the choice: Will you fight for control, or will you yield to the wisdom of the One who sees beyond sight? When obedience cages your creativity, will you trust that Heaven’s restraint is more powerful than earth’s ingenuity?

March on, then, not in the frenzy of your own design, but in the quiet, confident steps of one whose victory is secured by the voice of the Almighty.

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I’m Joel Osoba, and I share timeless truths from the Bible to help you cultivate a deep, unshakable relationship with Jesus that will leave a lasting mark on the world. If this spoke to you, don’t stop here—subscribe to receive more, and share with those you love. Let’s grow stronger together.