Magical

When you let go, something magical happens. You give God room to work” (Mandy Hale)

Giving up control of my life to God is a constant struggle for me. Things like cancer and an adult  child moving to Ghana Africa have not completely taught me the lesson that my life is managed by Someone else other than me. According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, control is “to have power over something.” As humans, we love to try have to control over the things that we do. We love to have a plan.

When things don’t go the way you’ve planned, you can feel disappointed, unfulfilled, anxious, sad, or even angry. You might have pictured your life differently than it turned out to be. Surrendering to God is telling God that you are not big enough to deal with your worries, and that He must take over. When you finally let go, you give God room to work in your life. When your hands are weak and tired, God’s hands are strong and powerful.

The enemy seeks every new day to cloud your mind with worries, doubts, and fears. The devil wants there to be no room left for God in our lives. Surrendering to God becomes a lifestyle of daily giving it all to Him. God’s mercies are new every morning so what happened yesterday, last year, or a decade ago is completely gone. Renewing your mind in Christ means letting go of all the burdens He died to take from you.

 

You want to dread and try to fix everything by trying to take back control from your heavenly Father. What does God want you to do? Christian artist, Jason Gray, has done a wonderful job of describing the gamut of emotions humans have in trying to take control in his song, “I'm Gonna Let It Go."

 

It's hard for me to let go, hard for me to breathe
Thinking that I gotta control it all I can feel my worry, and anxiety
When it's slipping through my fingers and I know it
I've been losing my sleep, I've been losing my cool
I can feel my heart go boom, boom, boom
Starin' at the ceiling, feeling like a fool
I'm going under and I know it

But I hear You whisper to me
If I lose my grip I could see
That You are carrying me

Chorus
Oh I'm gonna let it, I'm gonna let it go
Oh 'cause if I trusted, I could move with Your flow
Being carried in the current of Your love
When I lean into Your arms, You're enough
So, I'm gonna let it
I'm gonna let it go

Time for me to let go, time for me to breathe
Knowing that He already holds it all
Time for me to turn down, this anxiety
I can know my freedom in a moment
'Cause when I lay it all down, You gonna lift me up
When I pour it all out You gonna fill my cup
You're holding out your arms and telling me to jump
1-2-3 here I go yeah

'Cause I hear You whisper to me
If I lose my grip I will see
You're always carrying me

Chorus

Letting go of my worries
For my need to control things
I'm gonna take You at Your word
I'm gonna lay down all my burdens

Chorus

 Here are some lessons that can be learned in giving up control to God.

God is trustworthy.  Learning to trust God fully is a lifelong process. You have to choose to trust in Him much like you have to choose to give up control. You need to learn to let go and stop trying to figure out the “whys” of life, which is easier to do when you realized that God understands more about your life than you ever could. Write out a list of all the reasons you trust God, and include the ways that he’s carried you when you needed Him the most.

God promises to always be by your side.  When you struggle to give up control, it’s usually out of fear of the unknown. You don’t want to face whatever is in front of you blindly. However God has promised that He will always walk beside you no matter what circumstances you face in life. You will never venture into your future alone because God always promises to be there for you. Joshua 1:9 (ERV) says, “Remember, I commanded you to be strong and brave. Don’t be afraid, because the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

God already has your problem solved. Often you don’t want to relinquish control of your life because you think you already have all the answers. What you think is a perfect solution might be completely wrong. God has the problems of your life already solved, and knows not just why you are going through what you are, but the purpose of it. It's possible the problem still exists in your life because He's working on something inside you right now, and then He'll take care of the exterior situation later.

God is consistent.  While your friends and family try to help you when you are struggling, they aren’t always going to give you the perfect advice. You also won’t always be able to help yourself the way you want to. God is always going to show up. He’s always going to be there with the perfect advice, at the perfect time, with the perfect answers. He is consistently on your side, trying to push you in the right direction. Your Lord Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

God doesn’t make mistakes. Humans are prone to make mistakes, mismanage, and misunderstand everything they face. They are fully capable of making an even greater mess of things. Deuteronomy 32:4(VOICE) says "He’s the Rock, and His work is perfect; everything He does is right. He’s the God who can be trusted, who never does wrong because He’s righteous and upright." That means God doesn't ever get it wrong. God can’t make the mistakes that you do. When you trust in Him and give Him control, you know that He will guide you down the right path.

God is not surprised by your problems. Are you upset about the circumstances your life has dealt you? God isn’t. God knew what was going to happen to you, and was coming up with a plan to help get you through all of it. Psalm 139:3 (ERV) says “You know where I go and where I lie down.  You know everything I do.” Exercise true faith in Him by being assured and convinced that God is in absolute control. God is on your side and He is worthy of your trust. That means giving Him full control of your life because He knows exactly what He is doing. He has proven Himself and He wants to guide you on the right path, but He can only do so if you allow Him.

 “God isn’t trying to change your mountain. He is using your mountain to change you.” (T.D. Jakes)[i]

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[i] Sources used:

·        “6 Reasons to Give God Control of Your Life” By Megan Bailey

·        “8 Ways to *Lose* Control…and Let God Take Control” by Nathalia

·        “Giving it to God: 5 Ways to Let Go and Let God” by Bloggers for the Kingdom