How to Let Go of Control One Choice at a Time
Control often feels like wisdom, until it becomes exhausting. We tell ourselves we’re being responsible, proactive, prepared. But beneath the surface, control often reveals a deeper struggle with trust, especially trust in God’s timing.
When Control Quietly Took Over
I didn’t notice how tightly I was holding everything together until my body started keeping score. Sleepless nights. Racing thoughts. Constant mental lists of what needed to happen next and when. I told myself I was managing well, but my lack of energy and interest in keeping up that pace told a different story.
One evening, after rearranging my schedule yet again to account for every possible outcome, I felt an unexpected conviction. Proverbs 3:5–6 came to mind: Lean not on your own understanding.
That was the problem. I had been leaning…hard.
No matter what it was, I did everything within my power to control the outcome, to take charge of all the details, so I would know exactly what to expect. But that’s honestly no way to live. At least not in the long term.
The next morning, I decided to do something different. I chose prayer before planning. Now, before you think this one choice made all the difference, it didn’t. But, it did help me not focus so much on controlling the outcomes of every little detail. A little bit at a time, each day got better. I resisted the urge to send one more email, make one more adjustment, force one more solution.
Each small choice felt uncomfortable. But each one also loosened my grip just a little. And that let me breathe a sigh of relief.
Trusting God More Than Our Own Timing
Control is often our attempt to manage timing. We rush what God is still shaping. We push for resolution when God is calling for patience.
Totally relying upon the Savior’s timing means accepting that we cannot hurry God. And you know what? We don’t need to. Proverbs reminds us that acknowledging Him leads to the direction we need. Where control tries to create direction, trust receives it.
As I released control in small ways, peace slowly returned. Not because everything was resolved, but because I was no longer carrying the burden alone. And it sure felt good to share that burden with Someone else.
God’s timing is not something to manage. It’s something to trust.
Practicing Daily Surrender
Now, it’s time to take this truth to heart. Where are you gripping too tightly. Where are you rushing outcomes? In what ways are you resisting rest? Where are you relying on your own understanding instead of God’s guidance?
T.R.U.S.T. — Totally relying upon the Savior’s timing looks like choosing obedience over urgency. Rest over striving. Trust over control.
As we acknowledge God in our decisions—yes, even the small, ordinary ones—He promises direction. We won’t always get immediate answers, but we will receive faithful guidance.
And that guidance brings a peace that control never could.
