Surrendered - Women's Bible Study Participant Workbook
Learn How to Surrender Like JesusAre you facing a problem in life that you just can't fix, no matter what you do? Perhaps you've heard the phrase "Let...
A Q&A with Barb Roose about Surrendered: 40 Devotions to Help You Let Go & Live Like Jesus (continued)
What has been most difficult for you to surrender or stop trying to control this past year?
Last week, I saw a meme that said, “I can’t believe that it’s almost September. Literally feels like it was March just sixteen years ago.” I laughed because it’s true. The last six months on our planet have felt like a slow-motion game of Jumanji. Crazy stuff keeps happening, and we keep hoping there’s some secret door to escape through.
Two things that I’ve had to let go of this year:
First, I’ve had to let go of my expectations. This year, I planned to re-build some parts of my life that had broken and fallen apart during a painful addiction crisis in our family. My plans will wait, and that’s okay. I let go of my expectations so that I wouldn’t miss God’s everyday blessings, which are so good!
Second, I let go of fearing the future. I don’t know what will happen with speaking events, which are how I support myself now as a single woman. Rather than spinning on the “what if’s,” I decided to put a gratitude jar on my kitchen table. Each day, I drop in a note about God’s faithfulness and provision as a reminder that He’s taking care of me and I can trust Him.
These days, we’re anxious about a lot of unknowns like the pandemic, economy, civil rights, election, and so much more. How does surrender show up and help us?
The anxiety is real! Studies reveal that when we feel fear or uncertainty, there’s a part of our brain that begins firing, causing symptoms of anxiety. Anxiety is our body’s way of shouting, “We don’t feel good about this!!!”
I’m not immune to anxiety. It feels horrible! In anxious moments, I remind myself that God is my safety. I take deep breaths. When my heart stops racing, then I pray: “God, I am secure in You, even though the world feels unsafe around me. I can’t control what’s happening but I trust that You are taking care of me.” That prayer whispers to my heart that I don’t have to be afraid.
Why is it so hard for us to let go of control and trust God?
We want to trust God, don’t we? Yet, in the back of our minds, we’re afraid that God won’t give us the happy ending that we want, so we attempt to control others and outcomes. In some ways, we act like God in other peoples’ lives, even though we don’t want to admit that.
One popular author recently wrote that we should stop saying, “Let go and let God” because it is too simplistic. I disagree! It’s hard to let go and trust God. It’s hard to believe that God will do what’s best, especially if it doesn’t look like what we want.
Yet, there are three truths about God that I keep in mind so that I can keep my peace and not panic. I call these three truths “The Wilderness ABCs” in my Surrendered Bible study:
A – ALWAYS believe that God loves you.
B – BELIEVE that God is with you and for you.
C – CHALLENGE yourself to trust God and let go of what you can’t control.
Do you have a favorite devotion from Surrendered?
Yes, I love “Letting Go of Overthinking” because it’s really easy for me to “spin” the same thought over and over again.
This devotion features Philippians 4:7-8, which reminds us of what to focus our thoughts on rather than anxiety. My favorite line is this, “If there were anything good to overthink, try overthinking God’s blessings and love for you.”
I may never be able to overthink God’s love for me, but I’m going to try!
Explore the Devo and read a sample - Day 11 Letting Go of the Past
