If you’ve ever looked up “Type A personality” in the dictionary, I’m pretty sure you would find my name written right there in bold. I love lists. I thrive on structure. Meetings? They better have an agenda. Every plan is thought through, every decision weighed, every detail accounted for. There’s a place for everything and everything must be in its place. I show up on time – early, actually. And if I’m honest, I like being in control.
But here’s what life has taught me – what the Holy Spirit has gently whispered to my heart again and again: no matter how organized I am, no matter how detailed my plans may be, no matter how much I pray over them, things won’t always unfold the way I hoped. And it’s not because I did something wrong. It’s because I’m not the one in control – God is.
Yes, I can commit my plans to the Lord, and yes, I should (Proverbs 16:3). But I have to also remember that the Lord is sovereign, and His ways and thoughts are higher than mine (Isaiah 55:8-9). His plan is always better – even when I don’t understand it in the moment.
Psalm 146:3.5, reminds us of this beautiful truth: “Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save… Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, the Maker of heaven and earth…”
These words are a holy invitation to loosen our grip and fix our hope – not on people, not on processes, not even on our own perfectly drafted plans – but on the unshakable God who created the universe. The One who created the sea and sky. The One who is faithful forever. The One who sees all, knows all, and loves us more deeply than we can comprehend.
There will be days when everything you mapped out seems to unravel. The timeline falls apart. The opportunity vanishes. The answer is “not yet” or “no.” It’s frustrating, confusing, even heartbreaking. But don’t rush past the pain. Don’t suppress it. Instead, bring it to Jesus. Lay every disappointment, every unmet expectation, every ounce of weariness at His feet.
Hebrews 4:15 reminds us that we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses. Jesus knows exactly how it feels to face disappointment. He knows what it means to surrender to the Father’s will even when it hurts (Luke 22:42). And He is ready to meet you in your frustration and restore your peace.
We often resist surrender because we think letting go means losing. But in God’s kingdom, surrender is the place of victory. When we release what we’re clinging to, we make room for God to move in ways we never imagined. We trade anxiety for peace. Chaos for calm. Control for clarity.
Proverbs 3:5-6 says it best: “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.”
There is a divine security that comes from surrender. When we truly trust God with our plans, our future, and our dreams, we begin to live from a place of rest, even in uncertainty. We do not have to hold everything together, because we know the One who does.
And while we may not be able to control what happens, we can control how we respond. We can choose faith over fear. Surrender over striving. Worship over worry.
So, the next time your plans fall through or your perfectly ordered list gets thrown into chaos, pause. Take a deep breath. And give it to Jesus. Trust that even when it doesn’t make sense, God is working behind the scenes. He is not surprised by the detour. In fact, sometimes what feels like a detour is actually a divine reroute toward something better.
You don’t have to have it all figured out. You just have to walk with the One who does.
Let go of the need to control, and lean into the One who reigns over everything and everyonel. He is faithful. He is good. And He is writing a story for your life that’s far greater than the one you could have scripted for yourself.
