96. How to Let Go of Control and Trust God Wholeheartedly

In today’s episode, we’re talking about one of the most challenging—but freeing—aspects of the Christian journey: letting go of control. From early messages about strength and performance to the pressures of adulthood, many of us were conditioned to believe that control equals safety. But Scripture invites us to surrender—to trade anxiety and striving for God’s peace.

You’ll discover:
• What the Bible says about surrender and trust
• How cognitive dissonance affects your walk with God
• Real encouragement for the moments you feel anxious, afraid, or stuck
• Practical ways to daily release control and receive God’s peace

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Key Scriptures:
1. Proverbs 3:5–6 (NIV) – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart…”
2. Philippians 4:6–7 (NIV) – “Do not be anxious about anything…”
3. Matthew 11:28–30 (NIV) – “Come to me, all you who are weary…”
4. Isaiah 26:3 (NIV) – “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast…”
5. Psalm 46:10 (NIV) – “Be still and know that I am God.”

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What You’ll Learn:
• Cognitive dissonance is the emotional discomfort you feel when what you believe clashes with what God is asking. It’s that moment of tension between “I need to be in control” and “God is asking me to let go.”
• Letting go is not weakness—it’s worship.
• God replaces what you surrender with His peace, presence, and purpose.

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Reflection Questions:
• What early messages taught you that control was necessary for safety or love?
• Where in your life are you trying to manage what God is calling you to surrender?
• What would it look like to trust Him with that today?

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Practical Steps to Let Go of Control:
1. Pray a Daily Surrender Prayer – “God, I trust You with this day. Help me release what I can’t control.”
2. Pause When You Feel Anxious – Ask: “What belief is clashing with God’s truth right now?”
3. Practice Stillness – Create quiet moments to let God’s voice be louder than your fear.
4. Lean on Scripture – Meditate on the verses shared to realign your heart with God’s promises.

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Call to Action:
- Join the Community: Don’t walk this journey alone! Become part of the Curious for Christ community. Join us on Facebook:
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- Get Weekly Encouragement: Sign up for my free newsletter to get devotionals, tools, and bonus content straight to your inbox:
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- Share This Episode: If today’s message encouraged you, send it to a friend who’s struggling with anxiety or control. Let’s help each other walk in God’s peace.

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Thanks for listening, friend.
God isn’t asking you to carry the world—He’s asking you to walk with Him, one surrendered step at a time.

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Transcript

0:01

Welcome to Curious For Christ, and for those who have been here for a while, welcome back. Today we're talking about something we all wrestle with. Control. It's natural to want to manage everything in our lives, but true peace comes when we learn to surrender and trust God fully. We'll look at what Scripture teaches about letting go, why trust can feel so hard, and how God meets us with peace. When we finally release our grip, let's go welcome to Curious for Christ. Do you ever find yourself lying, awake at night wondering about God's plan for your life? Maybe you wake up with big dreams, but feel unsure where to start or what your next step should be. If you're curious about exploring your faith and finding purpose, then you've come to the right place. Hi, I'm Alexandra. I too felt lost and sure of the direction my life was taking. I yearned to understand my purpose and have someone guide me, but I kept telling myself I was too busy. The timing wasn't right, and my lack of clarity prevented me from being consistent until I found Christ. He brought peace into my life and revealed the way to find purpose by anchoring myself. In him. In this podcast, we'll journey together exploring the Bible to gain a deeper understanding of him and cultivate your own personal relationship with Christ. So open up your Bible, put in those earbuds and listen up because God is speaking to you. He's making everything new and you don't wanna miss it. Let's get started. Scripture number one, Proverbs three verses five through six. 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 path straight. I love this scripture and this verse lays a powerful foundation for what it means to trust God. It reminds us that control isn't a way forward. Submission is the world tells us we need to have all the answers, but Proverbs calls us to lean on God's wisdom instead of our own. Have you ever experienced peace after surrendering your plans to God? Maybe it came during a personal crisis, a difficult season in parenting, or a job loss or some kind of conflict in your career. God is inviting you right now to trust him more deeply. He's not punishing you. It may not be comfortable, but it's not a punishment. It's an invitation. His ways are higher and his plan is always good, even when it doesn't make immediate sense. Scripture number two. Philippians four verses six through seven. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation by prayer and petition with Thanksgiving, present your request to God and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. For those of us who battle anxiety or fear, especially when we feel out of control, this verse is a lifeline. It calls us to bring our concerns to God and promises that his peace will protect our hearts and minds. God's peace is supernatural. It doesn't make sense by human standards because it comes from above. So ask yourself, what am I still trying to control? That God is asking me to surrender. Let's pause and talk about why this is so hard. From a young age, we're taught to hold things together. Be strong. Why are you crying? Make him happy. It's your dad. It's your mom. She's crying. If it's meant to be, it's up to me. Often these messages come from people who love us, parents, coaches, teachers, but they create deep beliefs that letting go means failure, weakness, or disobedience. So when God calls us to surrender, we're not just disobeying or it feels like we're disobeying our parents, but we also are unlearning years of what we believed made us lovable, safe, or good. And sometimes surrender means disappointing people who we care about. It means choosing God's path over their approval. And that can be scary, and painful too. But here's the truth. God doesn't ask us to let go alone. He walks with us and when we make space by letting go. He fills it with his presence, with his peace, with a new way of living. Let me give you a psychological perspective. When we try to release control, we feel cognitive dissonance. That uncomfortable clash between two beliefs. Such as I have to stay in control to be safe and loved, but God is asking me to surrender. That inner tension sparks anxiety, fear, and even shame. Why? Because control has always felt like the safe path. Letting go feels like free fall, but this is where self-awareness and scripture work together. When we recognize our false beliefs or our old beliefs, I would say that are. Incomplete beliefs. They're not the truth we can bring them into God's light and pray. Lord, I've been trusting in myself more than you. Help me to learn a new way. Romans 12 calls this transformation the renewing of your mind. And here's the good news friend again, God does not leave you alone in the letting go. He studies your heart. He replaces all beliefs with his truth, and he gives you his peace in exchange for pressure. Because letting go creates room for joy, for clarity and freedom. You never knew were possible. So if you've been asking, why does this feel so hard, it may be because you're wrestling with old loyalties as well from your upbringing or cultural expectations. Your old sense of identity is a jeopardy. You're not dishonoring your past by releasing them. But you're honoring your future with God, and I can feel scary because you have never walked that walk. This is new for you, so allow yourself to receive God's grace during this process. Scripture number three, Matthew 11, verses 28 through 30. Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest for my yolk is easy and my burden is light. Jesus offers us rest, but we must come to him. Control weighs us down. Trusting him. Lightens the load. Are you carrying something God never asked you to carry? What do you need to lay at Jesus' feet today? Those are great questions to reflect on Scripture number four, Isaiah 26, verse three. You will keep in perfect peace. Those whose minds are steadfast because they trust in you. Perfect peace isn't fleeting. It's steady. It's unshakeable and rooted in trust, not circumstances. Does your peace disappear when things go wrong? Ask God to help you anchor your mind in his promise. And last but not least, scripture number five, Psalm 46, verse 10. Be still and know that I am God. Stillness is hard in a culture that prizes hustle, but peace comes in the quiet when we acknowledge God's sovereignty. When was the last time you were still before God? What could he reveal to you in that stillness? So three practical steps. Number one, daily surrender. And I would say moment by moment surrender. But let's do daily right now. Start your day with a simple prayer. God, I trust you. Help me release what I can control. Number two, trust his timing. Let go of your schedule and believe he's never late. And you are exactly where you need to be to start this process now. Number three, rest in his peace when anxiety creeps in, pause, breathe, meditate. On today's scripture, I will put them in a show note. So as a conclusion, letting go of control. As we know isn't easy, but it's the path to true lasting peace. That's the way my friend surrender opens the door for God to work in ways you can't imagine, and he never leaves you to walk it alone. So if today's message resonated with you, consider subscribing to my free newsletter. You can go to Curious for christ.kid.com/insider. And if you're not yet part of The Curious For Christ Facebook community, come join us. We are better together. Go to BT ly slash Curious for Christ Community. Let's pray. God, thank you for reminding us that we don't have to carry everything ourselves. Help us to trust you more fully and surrender every area where we are holding on too tightly. Show us where our loyalties need to shift and fill us with your peace as we walk with you. In Jesus name I pray. Amen. Bye my friend and I will see you next week. Hi, I hope you enjoy today's episode. If so, would you like to take 30 seconds and share it with a friend who may also struggle with knowing God and his purpose for their life? Also, leave a review on Apple Podcast and let me know what topics you'd like to hear about in the future. Your voice matters. I'll meet you back next Friday. For another episode.