Do you have trouble letting go of control? When there’s something that I really want, there is a temptation to engage in what I call the SHINE Control-Loving Behaviors in my Surrendered: Letting Go and Living Like Jesus Bible study:
- Stonewalling – Digging our heels in until we get what we want
- Helicoptering – Micromanaging others
- Interrupting – Cutting off people’s words/Interfering with their lives
- Nagging – Do I need to explain this one?
- Excessive Planning – Defining every single detail in hopes of controlling the final result
Which one or more of these are familiar to you?
What’s so hard about letting go of control and trusting God instead?
After all, we love God. We believe in Him. Yet, when it comes to certain things in life, we clutch onto our hopes, expectations, dreams, and plans like a two-year-old clinging to a blanket that needs to be washed.
I think that there are three primary reasons that we don’t like to let go of what we can’t control:
1. We’re afraid that something bad will happen.
2. We’re worried that God won’t give us what we want.
3. We worry that God is taking too long and we’re afraid of time.
Today’s devotional is so real for me. For months, I’ve wrestled with God over letting go of a dream in my heart. I’ve surrendered it – and then I’ve run back and grabbed that dream up again. For the past week, I’ve practiced surrendering it each day again. Can you relate?
Here’s a hard truth: Holding doesn’t help. Often, it hurts.
Holding on to what we can’t control will begin to control us. Holding on controls our level of content contentment, our level of peace, and even our attitude toward God.
When your hands are filled with what you’re trying to hold onto, you don’t have room to hold onto God. He wants to lead you and me toward His peace, and toward greater trust in Him.
Maybe today, God’s gentle whisper to us is this: “Let go, my precious one so that I can help you.”
Today, I’m sharing three letting go verses that we can stand on when releasing what we long for, but can’t control to God. First, let’s pray before diving into these verses. Take a breath. Now, let’s pray:
God, I invite You into these next few moments. Use these verses to speak to me and guide me toward Your truth. Amen.
1. Give all of your worries and cares to God because He cares about you. -1 Peter 5:7
Whatever you’re carrying today is probably too much for your heart. God knows this. He wants you to experience His peace, not be weighed down by your pain or problems. Today, give it to God. He cares about you. Here’s the prayer that I’ve been praying the past two weeks: “God, I need to give over __________ to You. I release it and I want to receive Your love and peace. Amen.”
2. So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries… -Matthew 6:34
It’s hard to let go when you aren’t sure how God will handle the situation. Yet, we have God’s Word to remind us of who He is. God is good, faithful, loving, powerful and gracious. Even if you don’t know the outcome of your situation, you can know that God will do what is best and good for you – and those that you love. God will not fail you, my friend.
3. Kind words are like honey. Sweet to the soul and healthy to the body. -Proverbs 16:24
When we’re struggling to let go, we can beat ourselves up for feeling a lack of faith. Do you need to let go of being too hard on yourself? If God gives us grace in our struggles, then speak words of grace and let go of speaking negativity over yourself. Do you need to start a “Stop Saying This” list?
Ugh. I’m so stupid.
I can’t ever get it right.
Why can’t I be more like…
Instead, speak words of grace, compassion, and kindness to yourself. I’m doing the best that I can. God will help me. I am loved by God. Write these down or put them in your phone as a reminder. If this is how God speaks to you, follow His example.
I hope that you found encouragement in walking with me through a struggle that I’ve been dealing with lately. If you can relate or one of these verses was helpful for you, hit “reply” and tell me about it.
Are you facing a problem in life that you can’t fix, no matter what you do?
Are you disappointed by unchanging circumstances? Perhaps you’ve heard the phrase, “Let go and let God,” which suggests that surrender is God’s path for peace for your life. It maybe true, but it’s easier said than done, isn’t it?
This popular six-week Bible study on Jesus’ time in the wilderness will equip you to give up control, reach for God, let go of fear, and experience the blessings of the surrendered life. It’s possible to let go and live like Jesus and the result is experience God’s power and peace as never before.
