Trusting God with What We Cannot Control
I once knew a College Principal whose favourite catchphrase was, “I’m sure of that… I think?” It was said with humour, but it revealed a quiet truth: certainty is often more fragile than we admit.
Another saying puts it plainly: “You can’t control everything that happens to you, but you can control the way you respond. And in your response is your greatest power.” That wisdom echoes Proverbs:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart.
Never rely on what you think you know.
Remember the Lord in everything you do,
and he will show you the right way.”
(Proverbs 3:5–6, Good News Bible)
These verses acknowledge a deeply human reality: our understanding is limited. Life does not always bend to careful planning or good intentions. Yet Scripture offers a way of living wisely when control slips from our grasp.
Three simple steps emerge: Trust. Check. Remember.
First, Trust — not cautiously, but with all your heart. Trusting God means placing confidence not in our ability to manage outcomes, but in God’s faithfulness to walk with us through them.
Second, Check — “never rely on what you think you know.” This is a call to humility, inviting us to question assumptions and allow God’s wisdom to challenge our instincts.
Third, Remember — acknowledge the Lord in everything you do. Faith is lived out in everyday decisions and responses. As we remember God, direction emerges — not always a full map, but enough light for the next step.
Imagine driving on an icy road. Pressing harder on the accelerator or gripping the wheel in panic only makes things worse. The safer response is counterintuitive: ease off, steer gently, and keep moving forward.
Life is often like that. When we try to force control, we skid. When we trust God, check our reactions, and remember whose hands hold the journey, we find a steadier way forward.
Prayer
Faithful God,
when life feels uncertain
and outcomes are beyond our control,
teach us to trust you with all our hearts.
Help us to check our assumptions,
to release our need to be in charge,
and to remember you in every step we take.
Guide our responses,
steady our hearts,
and show us the way that leads to life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Challenge for Today
Identify one situation you cannot control and practise the three steps today: trust God, check your response, and remember God’s presence.
