“I can’t leave my friend like this.”
That’s what I kept telling myself.
I used that sentence over and over to justify staying in a situation I knew God was asking me to leave. Deep down, I knew it wasn’t healthy for me. I knew I was shrinking in the process. And I knew — without a doubt — that God had been nudging me to go.
But leaving felt complicated.
My friend had endured a difficult few years. There had been a tragic plane crash that took one of our friends and his partner. The grief was heavy. Relationships were strained. Emotions were raw. I couldn’t imagine walking away during a time like that.
I had worked there for many years. What was supposed to be a year or two had quietly turned into ten. I was overdue. I knew it. God had made it clear more than once. And still… I tried to reason with Him.
Sometimes we think our compassion justifies our disobedience.
But God does what He does best. When we struggle to move, He moves things for us.
One day, my friend — in a moment of frustration over something small — told me to go home. And I did. I walked out that day and never returned.
Two weeks later, God opened the door to a new job.
Was it difficult? Absolutely. He was still my friend. Letting go doesn’t erase relationship. But obedience often requires separation from what no longer serves us.
We do this in so many areas of life. We hold tightly to plans God is trying to reshape. We cling to timelines we can’t control. We attach ourselves to outcomes that God has already said “not yet” to.
We want it to work the way we see it.
But here’s the truth: we cannot see the full picture.
Control is subtle. It convinces us that it’s our responsibility to guarantee the outcome. It whispers that if we manage everything correctly, nothing will unravel.
But how many times have we watched something unravel anyway?
Because we were never in control to begin with.
Surrender often feels like losing. But it isn’t loss — it’s trust. It’s choosing to acknowledge that God sees what we cannot. It’s stepping aside and allowing Him to lead.
One of my favorite verses is Proverbs 3:5–6:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding…”
That phrase — lean not on your own understanding — is where the tension lives. Because leaning on our own understanding feels safer. It feels logical. But our understanding is limited.
Trust requires releasing the need to figure everything out.
Isaiah 55:8–9 reminds us that God’s ways and thoughts are higher than ours. He doesn’t operate within our limited perspective. He sees beyond what we’re holding onto.
And here’s the beautiful part: when we finally relinquish control and allow God to be God, something unexpected happens.
Peace arrives.
Not because the circumstance immediately changes — but because we’re no longer carrying what was never ours to carry.
Surrender is not irresponsibility.
It’s spiritual alignment.
Letting go is not apathy.
It’s obedience.
And obedience makes room for peace.
🌿 Personal Reflection
Share a time you held tightly to a plan.
- What shifted when you released it?
- Did peace follow surrender?
🙏 Prayer
Lord, thank You for reminding me that I do not have to control everything. Thank You for Your wisdom that far exceeds my understanding. Help me to release what You are asking me to let go of and to trust that You are working beyond what I can see. Teach me that surrender is not weakness, but trust. And let Your peace follow my obedience.
Amen.
Worship Song: Give Me You by Shana Wilson powerful, powerful praise happening in this one
✍🏽 Scripture Writing
Write slowly:
- Proverbs 3:5–6
- Isaiah 55:8–9
After Writing, Reflect:
- Where am I leaning on my own understanding instead of trusting God?
🌿 Reflection Prompts
- What outcome am I trying to control?
- What fear is underneath my need to manage it?
- What would surrender look like today?