30 Days of SurrenderSample

Reflection:
Control was my survival strategy. Deep down, I felt powerless, but I believed if I could manage every detail of my life and the people in it, I could avoid disappointment, rejection, or pain. I wore a mask, showing the world what I thought they wanted to see—always agreeable, always accommodating, always striving to make everyone else happy.

People-pleasing became second nature, a way to keep the peace and gain approval. But behind the façade, I was exhausted and resentful. I wasn’t living authentically; I was living to be accepted. Worse, I used manipulation in relationships, even leveraging intimacy to gain a false sense of power and control over my partners. I told myself it was love, but in reality, it was fear—a desperate attempt to avoid being hurt or abandoned.

The truth is, my need for control never brought peace. Instead, it made me feel more isolated and insecure. No matter how much I tried to manage outcomes, life still unraveled in ways I couldn’t predict. Relationships ended, and the mask I wore made it impossible for others to truly know me. My heart was restless, and I realized that no amount of control could fill the void inside me.

Psalm 46:10 was a gentle but firm reminder from God: Be still. Know that I am God. He was inviting me to stop striving, to stop manipulating, to stop clinging to the illusion of control, and to trust Him instead. Slowly, I began to surrender the layers of control I had built around my life.

Letting go didn’t happen overnight. It required me to examine my heart and allow God to reveal the fears driving my behavior. It meant trusting Him with my identity instead of relying on others’ approval. It meant recognizing that true love doesn’t require manipulation or masks.

As I relinquished control, I experienced a peace I had never known before. God was teaching me that He is enough—that I don’t have to control everything because He already holds my life in His hands. Surrendering control was not a loss; it was a gain—a gain of freedom, peace, and a deeper relationship with Him.

Prayer of Surrender:
Lord, I confess my need for control and the ways I’ve tried to manage life on my own terms. I surrender my masks, my manipulation, and my people-pleasing tendencies to You. Teach me to be still and trust in Your sovereignty. Help me to release control and rest in the peace of knowing You are God. Amen.

Action Step:
Take a moment to identify one area of your life where you’ve been trying to control the outcome. Write it down and pray Psalm 46:10 over it. Ask God to help you release it into His hands and trust Him to work it out for your good.