Cancer – Can We Trust God?Намуна

The Enemy of Trust Is Control

I used to think that control was strength. I wore it like armor. Growing up in a world that felt unstable, I learned to take charge, plan everything, and never depend too much on anyone. If something needed to be done, I made it happen. I called it responsibility. But deep down, it was fear.

That mindset followed me into adulthood, and even into my walk with God. I prayed, served, and believed, but I kept one hand on the steering wheel of my life, just in case God didn’t take the turn I wanted.

Then came cancer. Suddenly, all my carefully laid plans unraveled. My routines disappeared, my energy vanished, and every illusion of control dissolved. I couldn’t fix it. I couldn’t plan around it. I couldn’t even predict what my blood counts would look like from one day to the next. That’s when I came face, to, face with the enemy of trust: control.

When we grip too tightly to our lives, our schedules, and our outcomes, we squeeze out the space for God to move. Control might feel safe, but it actually traps us. It limits God’s work to what we can manage, and that’s a very small container for a very big God.

1 Peter 5:6–7 (NIV) offers a better way: “Humble yourselves under God’s mighty hand… cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” This verse holds two truths. First, surrender is an act of humility. It’s saying, “God, I don’t know better than You.” Second, God is not distant or dismissive. He cares. Deeply. About every fear, every unknown, every detail.

Jesus asked in Luke 12:25 (NIV), “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?” It’s a rhetorical question that hits home. Control doesn’t give us more time; it steals our peace. It doesn’t solve our problems; it magnifies them. When we live in a cycle of trying to manage everything, we exhaust ourselves.

But when we let go, God steps in.

I won’t pretend that surrender is easy. It’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. But it was also one of the most freeing. The moment I finally let go, when I gave up the illusion of control and opened my hands to God, I discovered peace I didn’t think was possible. God didn’t just take control; He gave me rest.

Control and trust cannot coexist. One will always push the other out. If you want to experience the fullness of God’s presence, you have to loosen your grip. Trust isn’t passive; it’s powerful. It says, “God, You write the story. I’ll follow.”

The truth is, you were never meant to carry it all. That’s why Jesus said His yoke is easy and His burden is light. He invites you to stop striving and start trusting.

Action Step:
Identify one area of your life where control has become a coping mechanism. In prayer, name it. Then ask God to help you release it and replace your grip with His grace.

Reflection Questions:

1. What fear is driving your need for control?
2. What would it look like to trust God completely in that area?