What God Taught Me About Letting Go
Boy in Gray Hoodie Driving Car. Photo by Ron Lach from Pexels.
While preparing a message about trust for my church connect group, God opened my eyes to some new perspectives that I wanted to share with you as well.
The message centers around this verse: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." - Proverbs 3:5-6
Let's face it—we've heard this verse countless times. We often love to write it in birthday and graduation cards. But sometimes, God speaks to us through familiar words in completely new ways. That's exactly what happened to me as I dug deeper into what trust truly means in our daily lives.
Trust = Rest (Yes, It Really Is That Simple)
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When we truly trust, we can actually rest. Not just physical rest, but that deep-down soul rest that comes with real peace. Think about how peacefully a child sleeps in their parent's arms—that's the kind of rest that comes with complete trust. Trust is having confidence in someone's reliability, character, and intentions. Simple enough, right?"
We Trust More Than We Think
We trust others every single day without even realizing it. When I share something personal with a friend, I'm trusting that they won't gossip about it. When we follow our GPS down some unfamiliar back road, we're trusting that it knows where it's going (even though sometimes we get pretty skeptical!). When we take medicine from our doctor, we're trusting their expertise without fully understanding the science behind it.
So Why Is Trusting God So Hard?
I don't know about you, but I definitely don't trust God perfectly in every moment. This difficulty arises because, at times, we unconsciously project human failings onto God. We've all been let down by people—parents who couldn't keep their promises, friends who betrayed confidences, and relationships that ended in heartbreak. No wonder we struggle! We're accustomed to guarding our hearts because people are imperfect. But here's the thing—God isn't like people.
The Control Freak in All of Us
Young lady using laptop at table in modern workspace. Photo by Vlada Karpovich from Pexels.
When we don't trust God, something interesting happens: we become control freaks (I'm definitely raising my hand here!).
If we're not allowing God to be in control, someone has to be, right? So we try to make everything line up perfectly, meticulously control our environment, and ensure everything in our lives is "just so." We find ourselves creating backup plans for our backup plans. And you know what? It's exhausting.
The Driver's Seat Metaphor
I find myself returning to this image—I know it's totally cliché to talk about "Jesus, take the wheel," but bear with me. This metaphor really helps us understand what trust looks like.
When God's in the driver's seat, He has the map, knows the final destination, and understands exactly which turns to make. He even knows what stops we need along the way.
When we grab the wheel, we’re essentially driving blind—no map, no clear direction, just our limited understanding trying to figure it out.
Starting Small: Practical Steps Toward Trust
Person Wearing Rainbow Socks While Walking Upstairs. Photo by Thoni Huang from Pexels.
Here’s what I’ve been learning about building trust with God:
Start with honest prayer. Share exactly what you’re afraid of.
Remember His faithfulness. Reflect on the times He has come through for you before.
Study His promises. Don't just read them; let them truly sink in.
Take one small step of surrender. Focus on one area, one decision, or one worry at a time.
Your Turn: The Trust Challenge
I want to challenge you to identify just one area where you're hesitant to fully trust God. Maybe it's your future, your healing, your finances, your relationships, or your career.
Pick just one thing. You don’t have to figure out the entire journey at once.
The Truth About Trust
Is trusting God always going to be easy? Based on what the Word tells us, probably not. But you know what? It’s absolutely the best path.
Each of us likely has some small area where we’re trying to lead instead of letting God take charge. This often slows us down and may lead us in the wrong direction.
Remember: God wants to set us on that straight path toward His purpose for our lives, and that purpose is better than anything we could plan for ourselves. So what area is God asking you to trust Him with today? Maybe it's time to let go of the wheel.
Want to teach your children about trusting God's plan? Just like Mary did when she said “yes” to becoming Jesus' mother, they'll discover the joy of trusting God in my children's book Mary, Mother of Jesus. They can learn from godly role models from all the books in my Real Women Heroes of the Bible series.
Mother and daughter together looking at Mary Mother of Jesus book. Photo by Arabella Penrose.
