January Devotions

Choosing Trust over Control

Proverbs 3:5–6 —

“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.”

Control is one of the hardest things to surrender.

We cling to it because it feels safe — like if we just plan well enough, think long enough, or try hard enough, everything will turn out right. But control is a tiring way to live. It keeps our minds busy, our hearts anxious, and our shoulders heavy.

Proverbs 3 gently invites us to another way: trust.

To trust God with all our heart means to lean our weight on Him rather than on our own predictions or problem-solving. It means releasing the illusion that we can manage every outcome. It means submitting our plans, decisions, and fears to the One who actually knows the path ahead.

God doesn’t ask us to understand all things — only to trust Him in all things.

When we choose trust over control, something shifts.

The pressure eases.

The path clears.

The heart quiets.

And God leads us with a wisdom far greater than our own.

A gardener once explained why new saplings are tied loosely to support stakes. If you tie them too tightly, the tree never learns to bend with the wind. It grows stiff — and eventually snaps.

But when tied with a little space, the tree sways, bends, and strengthens. It doesn’t rely on the stake alone, but develops resilience as it learns to respond to the world around it.

Many of us tie our lives too tightly to our own control.

We cling, we grip, we tighten… and we tire.

God invites us to loosen the knot — to trust Him enough to bend rather than break.

To stop holding everything so tightly that we lose our strength.

Trust gives space for God to steady us on the windier days.

Prayed

God of wisdom and peace,

You see the whole path when I only see the next step.

Teach me to trust You more than my own understanding.

Release me from the need to fix, manage, and control everything.

Help me submit my ways to You and find rest in Your guidance.

Make my path straight as I choose trust today.

Amen.

Practice for Today: Release One “I Must Fix This” Thought

1. Notice one situation where you’ve been trying to control the outcome.
2. Name the exact thought: “I must fix this.”
3. Pause, breathe, and gently release it to God.
4. Say: “Lord, I trust You with this.”
5. Let your heart rest in the truth that God can handle what you cannot.

One released burden becomes one step of deeper trust.