We are a people who long for control. Whether it’s control of our co-workers, control of our food or control of the future, we want it. It feels good to hold control in our hands—and the tighter, the better.
But before we know it, something happens and we lose control. We don’t get our dream job, a close friend dies or we receive an unwanted diagnosis. Just like that, all control is gone. It’s ripped from our skin like a band-aid and it hurts to the core of our being. We are left bruised and naked.
Letting go is so hard. It unnatural for us to let go of control and lift our worries to the sky. We hold on to control so tightly, leaving no room for God to work.
About a month ago, my roommate and I attended a church service together. The topic of the sermon was prayer. The pastor spoke of the necessity of prayer and our tendency to forget it. I would be lying if I said this was not true of me. Whenever I feel out-of-control, I know I do not tend towards prayer.
But prayer is exactly what I should do in times of uncertainty and fear. God is the only one who is always there to listen to me in my times of deepest anguish. I know this to be true in my heart, but my head does not usually agree.
At the end of the sermon, the pastor gave the congregation a challenge: to create a “For-Jesus-To-Do” box. This box is intended for your prayers, worries, concerns and whatever else is controlling you. This box is a visible reminder that God hears and listens to every single cry for help. Thankfully, when we surrender control, God takes over.
My roommate, Michaela, has been actively practicing this type of prayerful surrender. When I asked Michaela how the “For-Jesus-To-Do” box has shaped and strengthened her prayer life, she said,
“There is this indescribable peace after you just let go and give everything to God.”
When we surrender ourselves and our worries to God, we breathe easier; we live easier. Our hearts are freed of the needless worrying that so often bogs us down. Giving everything to God allows our hearts to rest at peace knowing that God is big enough, loving enough, strong enough and good enough to take control of our fears.
As Jesus was preparing his disciples for his crucifixion, he proclaimed,
“Peace is what I leave with you; it is my own peace that I give you. I do not give it as the world does. Do not be worried and upset; do not be afraid.” John 14:27As we continue to learn how to let go of control, we will continue to experience the sweet peace of Jesus. What do you need to let go of and give to Jesus?
