* What does it actually mean to release control to God?

What does it actually mean to release control to God? I hear people say "let go and let God," but that feels vague and almost dismissive. In practical terms, what does that look like in everyday life? Does it mean abandoning all personal responsibility and just passively waiting for things to happen? Does it require suppressing my own desires and ambitions, even if they seem good and aligned with positive values? Or is it about something more nuanced, like surrendering my attachment to specific outcomes while still actively working towards goals? Can you give me specific examples of situations where someone might consciously release control to God and what the process of doing so might entail? And, crucially, how can you tell the difference between genuinely releasing control and simply avoiding making difficult decisions or taking necessary action?

Answer

Releasing control to God signifies a conscious and ongoing act of surrendering one’s will, desires, plans, and anxieties to a higher power, acknowledging God’s sovereignty and trusting in His wisdom and guidance. This is not a passive resignation but an active choice that impacts various aspects of life.

Core Components:

• Acknowledging God’s Sovereignty: It begins with accepting that God is ultimately in charge of the universe and your life, even when circumstances are confusing or painful. This involves recognizing that God’s perspective is far greater than one’s own.

• Surrendering Personal Will: This involves relinquishing the need to control every outcome and letting go of rigid plans that may not align with God’s purpose. It’s about being open to divine redirection, even if it deviates from personal preferences. It means praying "Thy will be done" not just as words, but as a lived reality.

• Trusting in God’s Providence: Releasing control necessitates trusting that God is working for your good, even in difficult times. This doesn’t mean that life will be easy, but it does mean believing that God can bring good out of any situation. It is based on faith that God’s intentions are benevolent, even when His methods are unclear.

• Letting Go of Anxiety: Worry and fear often stem from a desire to control situations. Surrendering to God involves releasing these anxieties, trusting that He will provide and protect. This requires a conscious effort to replace anxious thoughts with faith-based affirmations.

• Seeking God’s Guidance: Releasing control doesn’t mean abdicating responsibility. Instead, it involves actively seeking God’s guidance through prayer, scripture, and wise counsel, discerning His direction, and then acting accordingly.

Practical Manifestations:

• Prayer: Praying regularly and honestly, expressing desires and concerns to God, but also acknowledging a willingness to accept His will, whatever it may be.

• Scripture Study: Seeking wisdom and understanding from the Bible, allowing it to shape perspectives and inform decisions.

• Discernment: Listening for God’s voice through inner promptings, wise counsel from trusted individuals, and alignment of circumstances.

• Obedience: Following God’s commands, even when they are difficult or inconvenient. This demonstrates trust and submission to His authority.

• Acceptance: Accepting circumstances that cannot be changed, trusting that God has a purpose for them, even if it’s not immediately clear.

• Patience: Waiting on God’s timing, rather than trying to force things to happen.

• Forgiveness: Forgiving oneself and others, releasing bitterness and resentment that can hinder spiritual growth.

Misconceptions:

• Passivity: Releasing control is not about doing nothing. It’s about aligning actions with God’s will, rather than pursuing selfish desires.

• Loss of Responsibility: It doesn’t mean shirking responsibilities or making reckless decisions. It means making responsible choices while trusting God to guide and provide.

• Guaranteed Success: Releasing control doesn’t guarantee that life will always go smoothly. It means finding peace and purpose even in the midst of challenges.

Benefits:

• Reduced Stress and Anxiety: Trusting God can alleviate worry and fear, leading to greater peace of mind.

• Increased Faith and Trust: Experiencing God’s faithfulness in difficult times strengthens faith and deepens trust in Him.

• Greater Purpose and Fulfillment: Aligning with God’s will can lead to a sense of purpose and fulfillment that surpasses personal ambitions.

• Deeper Relationship with God: Surrendering to God fosters a closer, more intimate relationship with Him.

• Spiritual Growth: The process of releasing control forces growth in humility, patience, and faith.

In essence, releasing control to God is a continuous journey of faith, trust, and surrender, leading to a life characterized by peace, purpose, and a deeper connection with the divine. It is a dynamic process, requiring constant reevaluation and commitment, rather than a one-time event.

Pray This Prayer

Okay, here’s a prayer that wrestles with the question of releasing control to God:

A Prayer for Letting Go

O Lord, You are the potter, and I am the clay.
I say these words, and I believe them, but oh, the struggle within!
I grip so tightly to the reins of my life,
mapping out plans, striving for outcomes,
and feeling the familiar sting of disappointment
when things don’t go my way.

I confess, Lord, I fear what will happen if I truly surrender.
I fear chaos, failure, pain, and the unknown.
My mind races with "what ifs," convincing me that I must be in charge
to protect myself, to ensure success, to create a life that is comfortable and predictable.

But Lord, I ask myself: What does it actually mean to release control to You?

Does it mean ceasing to care? No, I don’t think it does.
Does it mean abandoning responsibility? Certainly not.
Does it mean ignoring wisdom and reason? I pray it wouldn’t.

Help me to understand that releasing control is not about abdication, but about trust.
Trust that Your vision for my life is grander than my own.
Trust that Your love is steadfast, even when the path is rough.
Trust that You will equip me with what I need for the journey, even if it looks nothing like I expect.
Trust that Your timing is perfect, even when I long for something else.

Teach me to loosen my grip, to offer up my plans with open hands.
Show me the difference between responsible action and anxious striving.
Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.

Help me to discern Your voice amidst the noise of my own desires and fears.
Let me not confuse my will for Yours, nor my timing for Your divine plan.
And Lord, when the waves crash against me,
when the path is shrouded in darkness,
remind me that You are present, You are powerful, and You are good.

May I find true freedom and peace, not in controlling my life,
but in surrendering it, moment by moment, into Your loving care.

In Your Holy Name, I pray. Amen.