Day 4-Let Go of the Wheel
A Weightless Devotional
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding. Acknowledge him in all your ways, and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5–6)
At the core of committing all your ways to the Lord is a simple acknowledgment that He is in the midst of all your committed ways. That is, seeing that He is in your circumstances. You aren’t, as it might seem, adrift at sea, blown and tossed about by a merciless wind. But you are always safe in His loving arms, and although the wind may blow, its force is meant to propel you in the right direction, like the wind at a sail.
Anxiety often comes from a misunderstanding—not only of God’s best for our lives but also of our own inability to know what is truly best for our lives. We think we know what we need, what will bring us happiness and security, and we fear that anything outside our understanding will lead to failure or misery. This kind of thinking traps us in a cycle of worry and stress as we struggle to keep our lives on the rails we imagine are laid out before us. But the truth is, our understanding is limited, and relying on it alone leads us into confusion and fear. God, however, sees the full picture. His understanding is perfect, and His plans are always for our good.
When you learn to hold your future with open hands, lifted up to the will of the Father, something remarkable happens. You start to see that whatever comes your way—whether it seems good or bad from your perspective—is a blessing from above, as you trust that it has passed through God’s loving hands before it ever reached you. This kind of trust transforms your life, allowing you to adjust your course at a moment’s notice, knowing that you are still following the direction of His leading and not your dreaming or worrying.
Trusting in the Lord with all your heart means surrendering your need to control your destiny —like taking your hands off the wheel and letting Him drive. You’re still moving, but the pressure to steer every moment is no longer yours. When you trust in the Lord, you can let go of the notion that you have to understand every twist and turn in your life, and instead embrace the peace that comes from knowing God is in control. When you stop relying on your own understanding and start acknowledging God in all your ways, He promises to make your paths straight. This doesn’t mean the path will be easy or free of obstacles, but it does mean that it will be the right path—the path that leads to peace, joy, and fulfillment in Him.
The more certain you are that you can trust Him, the clearer His guidance becomes. The more you rely on His wisdom rather than your own, the less you will fret about the uncertainties of your life, and there you will find that God’s direction brings a sense of peace and security that nothing else can provide.
As you bob around on the sea of life, remember that you are not alone. God is with you, guiding you, and putting wind in your sails. Unexpected situations are not surprise attacks by the enemy but planned gales from the Father. Trust in Him with all your heart, acknowledge Him in all your ways, and allow Him to make your paths straight, even if they don’t go directly to where you thought they should go. In doing that, you will find that anxiety fades and is replaced by a deep and abiding peace that comes from knowing you are in the hands of a loving and sovereign God.
Thoughts to Ponder
How do you feel about surprises?
When life gives you a surprise destination, what are your immediate thoughts, fears, and anxieties?
How can committing your ways to the Lord change how you react to the unknown?
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