January Devotions

We now turn to the theme of Small Steps of Trust starting with the idea of Letting God be God.

Psalm 46:1 — “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”

Trust often begins with a small but difficult step: letting God be God.

We say the words easily, yet the heart wrestles with them. We plan, control, fix, manage, and worry — often in the same breath that we pray.

Psalm 46 invites us to a different posture.

It reminds us that God is our refuge and strength, not our own ability to hold everything together. It teaches us that God is ever-present — not distant, not indifferent, not delayed — but right here, right now, faithful and near.

Letting God be God doesn’t mean we stop acting responsibly. It means we stop acting as though everything depends on us. It means loosening our grip on situations we were never meant to carry alone. It is the quiet, courageous act of saying:

“Lord, I cannot fix this… but You can.”

“I cannot see the way… but You know the path.”

“I cannot hold this together… but You hold me.”

Trust grows in small steps — often beginning with one surrendered situation.

A man once described how he used to walk around with clenched fists whenever he was anxious — literally tightening his hands without realising it. One day his pastor gently pointed it out and said, “Maybe it’s time to open your hands.”

That simple physical act became a spiritual turning point.

Each morning he would sit in silence, open his hands on his lap, and pray, “Lord, I let You be God in this.”

He still faced challenges. But something shifted.

Problems no longer owned him.

Fear no longer defined him.

His hands — and his heart — began to rest.

Letting God be God is not a grand gesture; it’s a simple release. It is opening our hands, one situation at a time.

Prayer

Faithful God,

You are my refuge when I am overwhelmed

and my strength when I feel weak.

Today I choose to let You be God —

to release what I grasp too tightly

and trust that You are already at work.

Teach me to rest in Your presence

and rely on Your power rather than my own.

I place my hope in You.

Amen.

Practice for Today: Hand One Situation Fully to God

Identify one situation that weighs on you — a worry, decision, relationship, or burden.

Then:

• Name it honestly before God.
• Imagine placing it into His hands.
• Release your grip, even just for today.
• Say: “Lord, I let You be God in this.”

Keep it simple. Keep it small.

Trust begins with one surrendered step.