Can I tell you a secret? I easily get my priorities mixed up and get way off track in life. I wrestle with the LORD over who is Lord of my life. Seriously, how do you let go and let God be in control?
Surrender is hard. But, is it really hard, or is that a lie I have believed? I am learning to let go of fear… I’m learning to let Him lead the way toward strong faith and abundant life… but I struggle.
Why Do We Need To Let Go and Let God Lead?
I don’t really like to face the truth about myself Y’all… but when I come face to face with it I can’t deny:
- I am a selfish control freak.
Most days I have a hard time to just let go and let God control my life.
The thing is, I think I have surrendered my life to Him.
- I think I am in a good place.
- I think there’s no hidden sin.
Then Jesus reveals another area I am holding onto (white-knuckled) declaring I am in control. It’s funny how hard it is to give up control of my life to an unseen God. Can you relate?
Control Issues
I remind myself:
- He is all-knowing -trust Him.
- He has proved faithful – trust Him.
- God has never failed me – trust Him.
I need more than quotes about let go and let God in order to live this out. Right? I need practical steps. Don’t you?
Where is Let Go and Let God in the Bible?
There isn’t a specific chapter and verse, but so many places point to it that we know HE wants this for our lives.
“The Lord is my rock and fortress and my deliverer; The God of my strength, in whom will I trust;” (2 Samuel 22:2-3 NASB)
What Psalm is Let Go and Let God?
“Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted in the nations. I will be exalted amonth the people.” Psalm 46:10
We just walked through a 40-day devotional series that could be summed up in that one phrase. Just let go of your need to control and complain and worry. Just let God take care of everything.
Be still!
Be still let go and let God have control!
1. What Does Let Go and Let God Mean?
And still, here I stand, holding tight to my way, terrified to let go of control and trust Him. That is what He wants.
The real meaning of let go and let God – is surrender. God wants me to surrender control of my life to Him.
There are a lot of excuses and rationalizations for holding these areas back from the LORD’s control but in the end, it boils down to one fact.
2. I Am Wrong
So often, I am just wrong. I am walking in sin with my control issues…
The fear I feel that convinces me to hold tightly to control is also wrong and never from the LORD.
He is saying, “Be still, let go of control.”
This year, HE has been teaching me to line up my priorities with His Word, because His Word is always right, always true.
When I take my issues to the Bible, I can surrender in peace.
We have to begin with the truth when He shows us we are wrong. It is hard, but we must lay ourselves honestly at His feet and admit the truth.
We don’t actually want to do it His way… most of the time.
Most days I have a hard time to just let go and let God control my life… but when it happens hope and joy flood in! Share on XDo You Want To Let Go and Let God?
Recently, Jesus has been showing me that I have not forgiven my husband for something. If you ever wondered, “What does let go and let God mean?” think forgiveness.
Forgiveness and surrender go hand in hand.
It is a behavior he repeats that hurts, leaving me… disappointed and frustrated. I have tried to forgive and just keep having to go back to My Father with it.
My heart-wrenchingly honest prayer is the same today. The same prayer that begins every single “control” struggle with God.
My “Let Go and Let God Prayer”
“Help me want to let go of control. Help me want to desire what You want in my life.”
Can you relate?
I have to start in this place because I don’t usually want to let go of control. My way feels right and justified and good.
But over the years I have seen how my way is wrong. My way never works to bring the outcome I long for.
So I ask the Lord to help me begin to desire what He wants. Ask Him to help me delight in His ways…
Related Post: How To Forgive Anyone In 7 Steps
Surrender is not hard.
“Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4 NASB)
And He does
God is so faithful!
He meets us where we are and moves us along the path He has set for us. I love that about the Lord!
The enemy lies, Y’all! Surrendering to God, letting go, and letting God have control in your life, is NOT hard. I believe it is the #1 lie we believe as Christians that keeps us stuck, not growing in faith.
3. The Lies That Keep Us From Letting God Control Our Lives
Now, the truth is, there is a hard part. The decision to surrender is hard. But, surrender itself is easy.
We just have to get past the lies to help make the decision easier. Do you hear the enemy lie too?
Lies like:
- Loving God is hard.
- Loving my husband is hard.
- Selfishness is normal.
Loving God With All My Life is Hard
What does God say about letting go?
The Bible tells us to love God will all our hearts, soul, and mind (Matthew 11:28-30). Scripture tells us to seek first the things of God (Matthew 6:33). We are supposed to love God, more than anything.
But I love myself first most days. I tend to work toward my own plans each day. Now, they are often good plans, but if they are not God’s plans, they are wrong. Do you know?
It feels hard to decide to love God first. To pursue God first, His plans, before my own plans requires a maturity that pinches. It requires me to be intentional – every single day.
But, when I get off course, God is faithful to gently remind me and show me where I need to adjust. It is not hard, but it does require practice to let go of control my day.
Maybe the true let go and let God meaning is to practice love…
Loving My Husband is Hard
Learning how to let go and let God in a relationship is not as cut and dry.
Okay, so God is perfect and loving and amazing. He never fails me or forsakes me. My husband, on the other hand, is not perfect.
It does feel hard to love him well some days. It shouldn’t be, but it is at times… and strangely it’s hard for the same reason I struggle to love God.
Because I love myself. I am prone to selfishness.
Selfishness is Normal
Oh, how I would love to just stop right here. It is hard to admit we are selfish, let alone deal with that sin and shift. To let go of self and let God heal the broken pieces… it hurts.
Selfishness feels normal, like the logical response when you are being hurt or your needs are left unmet. But selfishness is the opposite of love and God said we are to love… so it is wrong… right?
How To Let Go and Let God Fix Your Marriage
Selfishly, I get so wrapped up wishing Bud (my husband) would love me better that I forget I should be loving him. How do you forget to love your husband? Talk about a new low…
So God has been teaching me how to love my husband by walking through 1 Corinthians 13.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 is a great let go and let God verse to focus on if you need to fix your marriage. It is challenging but also it is creating beautiful shifts in our love story.
Related Post: 13 Powerful Ways to Show 1 Corinthians 13 Love in Marriage
Let Go And Let God Prayer Bundle
If you have the budget for a bit more in a prayer journal I highly recommend the Let God and Let God Prayer Bundle!
This prayer journal is more of a bundle because there is a beautiful journal but there is also a great set of resources to help you:
- Identify areas of life you need to give to God.
- Prayer list ideas to get you started.
- Find scripture to pray over those areas.
- Internalize the scripture through coloring.
- Track your prayers.
- Stay reminded of God’s truth with screensavers!
I enjoy this bundle and I know you will too! As school starts, I will be using this for my tween. It is great for teenage prayer ideas and getting them inspired to connect with God.
Embrace The Truth To Let Go of Control
Fear is often at the heart of why I struggle to let go of control. I am afraid of being hurt… again. Afraid of being walked all over, taken advantage of… I am afraid of all the things God has allowed in the past being repeated again. Can you relate?
Learning how to surrender and be still has required some hard things from me emotionally. Now, I call out the lies as lies and face the truth.
- Love is our calling.
- God enables us to love.
Related Post: How to Have a Thriving Christian Marriage: Marriage Advice from 14 Experts
Love is Our Calling
God calls us to love. To love HIM, to love ourselves, and to love those around us. God is love and we are His children.
The truth is, my husband needs my love. Also true is that I do love my husband.
Simple right?!?!?!
We are called to love and so we must remember how to show others love.
After nearly 20 years I know my husband needs appreciation and admiration. He needs me to show respect and honor.
My husband needs me to accept him for who he is in this moment. Also, he desperately needs me to want him.
What shows YOUR spouse’s love?
Related Post: 9 Steps to ID and Heal Disrespect in Marriage
God Enables Us to Love
Many days, I don’t want to surrender control to God. It is work. I rationalize my bad attitude and unkind reactions… my sin.
But surrender is not hard, to let go and let God is not hard, because we have help. The Holy Spirit, who lives inside of us, will help us give HIM control if we ask.
Related Post: 7 Benefits of Submission in Marriage
How Do I Surrender My Life to God?
How do you let go and let God? We have already started the process of learning how to surrender to God. And it is more than just let go and let God quotes to make us feel better. There are 5 simple steps to follow:
- Understand what surrender means.
- Admit our sin in this area.
- Face the lies we have believed
Next we need to do some deeper work to surrender fully.
- 4. Shift our perspective.
- 5. Intentionally set our priorities
4. A Perspective Shift
Full surrender starts with an attitude shift that says:
- I will do life God’s way because He said so.
- Even when I don’t feel like it, I will live life in His way.
- When I don’t understand, I will keep doing life in God’s way.
That is a life of surrender. A life of discipleship begins in our thoughts.
This is not a perfect life, it is a life in the process. I think that’s what we can strive for… living in the process with Jesus.
“Come to me all you are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 NASB)
Aren’t you thankful for His mercy and grace?
5. Be Intentional With Your Priorities
Along with identifying the lies, embracing the truth, and shifting my thoughts, I have found setting clear priorities helps me surrender to the LORD.
Each day is only filled with so many hours. We can fall into the habit of filling those hours with tasks and missing the point of our calling in life. The Bible tells us what our priorities are.
We are to love, but who are we called to love (Matthew 11:28-30)?
- God
- The series starts here ~> I Can’t Love God With All My Heart
- Myself
- Others
- Neighbors
- My husband
- Our children
- Other people we do life with
- Neighbors
Will You Choose To Let Go and Let God Control Your Life?
Today we have a choice. I believe we each face the same choice. Today, will I let go and let God be in control or will I live in fear and selfishness? Will you?
Have I fought against the lies of the enemy today? Am I allowing fear to guide my choices? Are you?
It is hard to decide that The LORD is faithful and trustworthy enough to surrender to. HARD. Period. These 5 ways to surrender control to God… hard!
Giving an unseen God control of my real life requires a daily recommitment.
On the other side of surrender is peace. When He is the one in control, there is joy. It is worth it!
Will you choose Him today?
in HIM,
Tiffany of Hope Joy in Christ inspires Christian Women to grow in faith, live out Biblical Marriage Principles and raise Godly Children. Join the Wives Only Facebook Group here or keep up with her through Pinterest.
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Great post Tiffany! So very true. Thanks for sharing your heart. I love your colorful lay out too.
Thanks April! I’m one of those millennials that get bored easily… so I am trying to learn how to add lots of design elliments to keep my attention and any other millennials who visit my site! So glad you enjoyed the post! Ttyl
Thanks for sharing this post Tiffany. I like it when you said, surrendering to God should be an attitude shift, even when we don’t understand or feel like it, but because He said so. May God help us all to be fully surrendered.
That’s it Richard. Fully surrendered… daily surrendered most of the time. Thanks for the comment!
After 50+ years of marriage, I’ve learned one of the hardest things a wife has to do is be totally honest with her husband. Too often we are afraid of rocking the boat and hold back our true feelings and thoughts. Sharing is not arguing, it’s just sharing. We may be totally different in our opinions over something but we have to realize our husbands can’t make good decisions without our input. We may not like the decision, but that’s okay. God just asks to be honest with one another. Don’t pout when it doesn’t go your way. Be thankful that you did what God has asked you to do.
WOW! 50+ years is amazing Nana! Love that. Yes, being honest is so important… but I have found that every honest thought I have is not necessary or Kind. Sounds like you’ve figured that part out. I am still learning this thing. I love learning from those further along the journey! I often hurt my husband by telling him what I think he should do rather than letting him learn from mistakes. I’d love to hear some of your story – how on earth did you make it 50+ Years? That is my dream. Would you shoot me an email with that if you have time? tiffanymontgomery@hopejoyinchrist.com