Devotional Day 13:
Letting Go of control
“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
We like to have a plan.
We plan our timelines.
Our families.
Our careers.
Our prayers even come with expectations of how and when God should answer.
Control makes us feel safe.
If we can just organize enough, prepare enough, or figure everything out
then maybe life will unfold the way we hope.
But life rarely follows our carefully written plans.
Doors close we thought would open.
Waiting seasons last longer than expected.
Prayers are answered differently than we imagined.
And slowly we realize something difficult:
We were never meant to carry control in the first place.
Proverbs doesn’t tell us to understand everything.
It tells us to trust.
Trust means releasing the need to know every outcome.
It means believing God sees what we cannot.
It means surrendering not just our circumstances
but our timelines.
Sometimes we hold so tightly to our plans
that we miss the peace found in God’s plan.
Surrender is not giving up.
It is handing over what was never ours to manage alone.
When we loosen our grip,
we make room for God to lead.
He sees the full picture.
The closed doors protecting you.
The delays preparing you.
The unexpected turns guiding you somewhere better.
You don’t have to figure everything out today.
You only have to take the next step of trust.
Because when you place your life in God’s hands,
even uncertain paths become purposeful ones.
Prayer
Lord,
I confess that I often try to control things that belong in your hands.
I hold tightly to my plans, my timing, and my understanding,
forgetting that you see far beyond what I can see.
Teach me to trust you fully.
When life feels uncertain, help me release my fears and surrender my expectations to you.
Give me peace when answers don’t come quickly
and patience when the path feels unclear.
Help me lean not on my own understanding,
but rest in the confidence that you are guiding every step.
Today, I choose to place my plans, my worries, and my future in your hands.
Lead me, Lord.
I trust you.
Amen.
Brittany Smith
