Control is what I’m afraid to put in God’s hands

There is a part of me that believes if I can just manage everything—
the timing, the outcomes, the people, the risks—
then I will be safe.

That part of me works hard.
It plans, anticipates, braces for loss.
It calls this responsibility.
But beneath it all is fear.

Control feels powerful, but it is brittle.
It must stay alert at all times.
It cannot rest.

Faith, on the other hand, is not control’s weaker cousin.
Faith is the courage to act fully without demanding certainty.
It is trusting God not because I can predict the outcome,
but because I know Who walks with me regardless of it.

When control loosens, faith does not disappear—
it finally has room to breathe.

Jesus never promised control.
He promised presence.

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.
Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
— Matthew 6:34

Worry is the mind rehearsing a future it cannot command.
Faith is the heart resting in a God who already holds it.

I am learning that surrender is not giving up responsibility.
It is giving up the illusion that I was ever in charge of outcomes to begin with.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding.”
— Proverbs 3:5

Today, when fear asks me to tighten my grip,
I choose instead to open my hands.

I will show up.
I will act with wisdom.
And I will release what was never mine to control.

Closing Prayer

Lord,
I confess how quickly I reach for control when fear arises.
Teach me the difference between responsibility and self-reliance.
Help me to trust You not only with my plans,
but with my uncertainty, my losses, and my unknowns.
When my grip tightens, remind me to rest in You.
Amen.