The peace of letting go of control

I am not God but sometimes I am guilty of trying to be.

My thoughts and plans have been hijacked again. An interloper has disrupted my peace.

Things seem fine on the outside, and frankly, pretty competent on the inside. There lies the problem.

“I” have taken over.

Do you know what I mean? Instead of asking God’s opinion, direction, blessing, guidance…“I” have been making all the plans myself.

That is where the peace starts fading and the anxiety starts creeping in. Because regardless of my plans, I don’t have the answers. And that can be frustrating.

I am not God, but I’m trying to be. How unnecessary.

What does it mean to let go of control?

We don’t want to take any path that God has not directed for us. He is the giver of good things, the component that allows us to bring comfort, the friend that generously brings us on board to co-everything.

We are often blinded to what our true motivation for things are, or self-centered. Ouch. But true.

Psalm 139:23 pleads “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”

Over the decades (I can be a slow learner) I believe without any doubt, that His plans are better than our own.

That sneaky “I” replaces “We” or “He”. Not cool.

Where are you today? Making your own plans…seeking His? It is OK if you have been stuck on “I” too. Stop, get right with God and recalibrate.

He is not disappointed in you. Not even a little, He is our biggest cheerleader.

How do you let go and stop trying to control?

It disappoints God is when WE get stuck dwelling on things He has “forgotten”.

For me, the time is drawing near that new decisions will be made. My last child is in her last year of homeschooling. Next year I expect she’ll be in college somewhere, and my firstborn plans to be traveling for a year doing mission work.

My nest will be empty. In an official capacity, I’ll be out of a job. My career will have a Reduction In Force.

I have dreamed of being a full-time writer, creating beautiful photography, projects to inspire others. The reality is, I need to create a viable income flow over the next year.

Because of this, “I” have been planning and getting stuck on the hows of this next step. The funny thing is, while everything I WANT to do is based on serving God?

I totally left him out of the planning. I forgot that he already has this figured out.

As Susie Larsen says in Your Beautiful Purpose, “How many times have you dared to ask God for the impossible? How often do you plant seeds of faith only to let those desires be choked out with weeds of worry and distraction?” “Jesus loves audacious requests for more faith”.

Anticipation from letting go of control

It is time to start asking for bigger dreams. Crazy, impossible things that let Him show you what He loves to do.

I’ll be asking for a clear vision of whether to stop writing, to have a good attitude about a job outside the home, how to include my passion for people and words and art into my life and still bring income.

Huge, crazy, exciting things.

What are your big things going to be today?

Let’s eagerly anticipate His answer.

Psalm 119:12 encourages us, “You’re blessed when you stay on course, walking steadily on the road revealed by God. You’re blessed when you follow his directions, doing your best to find him. That’s right—you don’t go off on your own; you walk straight along the road he set.”

Proverbs 16:9 ‘We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.”