A Prayer of Release to God for What We Cannot Control
By Debbie McDaniel
“Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.” Psalm 55:22
So often in life we may find this to be true: we hold on too tightly to things we were never meant to control. It’s hard sometimes, to let go.
We struggle to change things. We strive hard to maintain order and keep all in line. But when problems mount high and pressures feel overwhelming, we begin to understand more fully how little control we really have.
Maybe we look all different places for help, yet forget we can press in towards our Savior. Maybe we forget that He never changes, and He still holds the power to heal and set free. Maybe we don’t believe that He can, or wants to, work on our behalf. Maybe we forget at times, that He’s still the God of miracles, that He can act “immediately,” that He can do in a moment what might take years for us to work through on our own.
Let’s set aside our fears and move towards Him today, in faith. Let’s press in close, and reach out to the One who is All-powerful, compassionate, loving, and kind. He knows already, the wounds and troubles we’ve carried, He knows the pain and worries we’ve felt, He knows how much we’ve tried to let go, and fix things in our own power. Let’s choose to believe that our situation or circumstance is never too big for Him to bring healing and freedom. He is Able. Nothing is too difficult for Him.
He is always within reach.
He is never far away.
He is close.
He is with us.
He cares.
He heals.
He restores.
He redeems.
Go in peace.
Walk in His freedom and healing.
May His huge grace cover you this day…
Dear God,
We confess our need for you today. We need your healing and your grace. We need hope restored. We need to be reminded that you work on behalf of those you love, constantly, powerfully, completely. Forgive us for trying to fix our situations all on our own. Forgive us for running all different directions and spinning our wheels to find help, when true help and healing must be found first in You. Forgive us for forgetting how much we need you, above everyone and everything else. We come to you and bring you the places we are hurting. You see where no one else is able to fully see or understand. You know the pain we’ve carried. The burdens. The cares. You know where we need to be set free. We ask for your healing and grace to cover every broken place. Every wound. Every heartache. Thank you that you are Able to do far more than we could ever imagine. Thank you for your Mighty Power that acts on behalf of your children. We reach out to you, and know that you are restoring and redeeming every place of difficulty, every battle, for your greater glory. Thank you that you will never waste our pain and suffering. We release to you this day every need and problem we’ve carried or tried hard to control. We believe in your goodness to see us through. We love you. We need you today.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.
Find more by Debbie at www.debbiemcdaniel.com, or
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Some days, life is just hard. The days look dark. Uncertain times and stress mount high. An unexpected diagnosis or devastating loss can feel too difficult to face.
Though we may realize our faith is most strengthened, not in the easy times of life, but in the most trying, it’s often hard to walk that out once we’re swirling in the midst of it all. We long for carefree days, yet sometimes, God takes our hand and leads us straight into the darkest of times. Not to harm us, ever. But to bring greater strength, character, trust, beauty, and perseverance to the deepest part of our souls.
His desire for us in this life is to ultimately make us more like Him. To have a relationship with us. He will not leave us sitting in dark days but will walk with us through until we come out on the other side. Changed. Stronger. Renewed. With great purpose.
For those who need fresh hope today…you are not alone.
You are never forgotten.
He is with you.
Every step of the way.
Table of contents
10 Verses for when you feel broken, for those in need of comfort:
“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Ps 147:3
“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” Ps 34:18
“But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6
“I believe I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait on the Lord.” Ps 27:13-14
“Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble by the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” 2 Cor 1:3-4
“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you, yes, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10
“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds, you have been healed.” 1 Peter 2:24
“Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.” Ps 55:22
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matt 11:28-30
“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2 Cor 12:9
Know that He loves you, He cares about what you’re walking through, every single thing. And He hasn’t left you, not ever. Praying that you’ll have a fresh glimpse of His Presence as He’s bringing you through, to the other side of the grief.
There’s more in store…He has good for you…and whispers hope.
A Prayer for When You’re Hurting
Dear God,
Some days feel too hard. We’re hurting. Struggling. Fighting fear and worry at every turn. Thank you in the midst of it all, you haven’t left us to fend for ourselves. Forgive us for doubting you are there. Forgive us for thinking you’ve forgotten. Forgive us for believing we somehow know the better way.
You are fully trustworthy. You are All-Powerful. You are Able. You are Lord over every situation no matter how difficult it may seem. You are Healer and will never waste the grief we carry today. You will use all things for good in some way. Anything is possible with you. Nothing is too difficult for you.
We pray for those who grieve today. We ask for your comfort to surround those who weep. We pray for the peace of your presence to cover our minds and thoughts, as you remind us, the enemy can never steal us out of your hands. He never has the final say over our lives. We are kept safe in your presence forever, whether in life or in death.
We thank you that your ways are higher than our ways and your thoughts are bigger than our thoughts.
We lay it all down at your feet, every burden, every care. Believing that is the safest place for it to be.
We love you, Lord, we need your fresh grace.
In the Powerful Name of Jesus,
Amen.
What are you praying for God to take control of today? Join our large community of praying believers in the comments below and experience hope, peace and comfort as you face each day.
Debbie McDaniel is a writer, pastor’s wife, mom to three amazing kids (and a lot of pets). Join her each morning on Fresh Day Ahead’s Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/DebbieWebbMcDaniel, for daily encouragement in living strong, free, hope-filled lives. Find her also at and
This article is part of our larger Prayers resource meant to inspire and encourage your prayer life when you face uncertain times. Visit our most popular prayers if you are wondering how to pray or what to pray. Remember, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us and God knows your heart even if you can’t find the words to pray.
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8 Ways to *Lose* Control…and Let God Take Control
According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, control is “to have power over” something. As humans, we love to have control over the things that we do. We love to have a plan. We have grown up hearing advice like this:
“You can do anything you set your mind to do!”
“Follow your heart!”
Nevertheless, when things don’t go the way we’ve planned, we can feel disappointed, unfulfilled, anxious, sad — even angry. We might have pictured our lives differently than they’ve turned out to be.
But what does the Bible say about control? Are we called to carefully determine every detail of our lives, and expect them to come true? Are we called to strive for a planned life? Not quite.
For Christians, the process does not start with our “plans” or desires. We are called to deny ourselves.
And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Luke 9:23
“And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh, with its passions and desires.” Galatians 5:24
Yikes! That sounds hard! But don’t worry. It doesn’t end there. When we commit our lives to Christ, and let Him take control, He not only reveals to us the things we should “let go” of, but He is with us every step of the way.
“And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20
God’s intent is not that we would live a life of discontent, sorrow and shattered dreams.
“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” John 10:10
A life worth living is a life with Christ. After all, it is the life each of us was created to live. There is nothing more fulfilling than living inside God’s will!
Do you want this rich and satisfying life? If so, what are some other things that you can do to let God “take the wheel”?
Often times God tells us to do things that don’t seem logical, or normal! Sometimes He commands us to take a plunge at something we are completely new to. It can be scary!
Nonetheless, whenever God tells you to do something, do it. Be diligent. Follow through.
It can be something as simple as praying and reading your Bible each morning to something as radical as leaving your job or serving as a missionary on a faraway country.
Whichever the case, don’t try to find a middle ground between your current desires and God’s will. Half obedience is disobedience.
In the Bible, we can see what can happen if we don’t obey God. The result isn’t pretty.
In 1 Samuel, God told Saul (a young man whom the Israelites chose as king) to destroy the Amalekites and their possessions.
Saul did!…sort of.
He kept all the sheep and oxen, instead of getting rid of them, as God had commanded him. He did not follow God’s word all the way.
To make it worse, instead of acknowledging that he had – indeed- disobeyed, Saul started justifying his actions.
Saul said to him “…I have performed the commandment of the Lord!”
But Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?”
And Saul said to Samuel, “But I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and gone on the mission on which the Lord sent me!
So Samuel said: “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams.For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.”
Ouch. Saul’s acts of disobedience cost him his crown. Often times we hinder God’s blessings for our lives because of this one thing. Obedience is key! Either we are following the Lord, or we are not.
Is there anything God has told you to do that you’ve been “half” obeying?
The Christian life is perfect! NOT. Contrary to popular belief, we are actually called to expect trials and warfare. As we get closer to God, we are a bigger threat to the enemy, so he’s going to do anything possible to make us fall.
1 Peter 5:8 says “be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”
If we are not strong with Christ, life’s circumstances will take us off guard and can knock us off our feet. Nevertheless, if we cling to God, He holds us:
“The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.” Psalm 37:23-24
We are called to be vigilant; to remain constantly in prayer, read the Word and get together with other believers. We have to seek Him daily! Don’t trust in yourself. If things are going good, don’t lay back. Don’t get comfortable.
“Therefore let him that thinks he stands take heed, lest he fall“ 1 Corinthians 10:12
The good part? God promises to give us peace in the midst of trials and uncertainty:
“And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7
Peter asked Jesus, “What about him, Lord?”
Jesus replied, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?
As for you, follow me.” John 21:21-22
Peter was asking Jesus about John.
Jesus’ response? “That does not concern you! Just follow me!” How often are we like this! We see other people being successful at different areas of their lives and we start asking the Lord: “what about me?”
In the words of Os Hillman:
God has called us to a unique life that may look totally different from anyone else’s life. Once we begin to compare ourselves to others, we begin to live for others and ourselves.
Embrace the life God has for you. Protect it.
If you are following the Lord, then events won’t happen any sooner and any later than they should.
God knows what you need. If marriage or singleness is your concern, be sure that that exact moment you need a man, that exact day when God knows you NEED a husband, God will provide you with a person.
Don’t look or envy other people. That’s their life, this is yours. God knows your every desire, and He wants to bless you.
Another quote from Os Hillman:
There is a time for everything. If God has called you to some endeavor and you are frustrated that it has not manifested, know that times of preparation and simmering are required before the vision can be achieved. Seldom does God call and manifest something at the same time. There is preparation. There is testing. There is relationship building between you and God that must take place.
Often times, we look at our circumstances and we get anxious if things don’t go as planned. Not knowing or being certain of our future can also be a factor that is the start of worries in our minds.
We find it hard to trust God is in control of our lives. We don’t have peace.
Yet, when we commit our lives to Christ, He commands us to do this one thing:
“Be still and know that I am God….” Psalm 46:10
This anxiety that we feel stems from one very determining thing: we doubt God’s ability to take care of us.
Jeremiah 29:11 says “for I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Do you believe this to be true?
Is your vision of God hindering your ability to trust in Him and let go?
God knows what you need, and when you need it. Trust that He will take care of you!
He is able.
“Nevertheless, in their presumption they went up toward the high hill country, though neither Moses nor the ark of the Lord’s covenant moved from the camp.” Numbers 14:44
In Numbers, we can see that when God told the people of Israel to conquer the land, they doubted. They were afraid, so they didn’t do it. They didn’t embrace God’s plan for them. They didn’t trust God would take care of them. They assumed control.
Later, they regretted it, but it was too late to go. It wasn’t God’s time or way anymore, yet they presumed they could still do it. Even when God warned He would not be with them, they trusted in their strength and tried to conquer the land. They lost that battle.
Often times we presume that things should go a certain way. We think:
“If God was with me, this shouldn’t have happened!”
“If this was truly God’s will, this and that should have happened by now!”
Nevertheless, God sees the bigger picture. He sees the purpose for every little detail in your life. Whenever you start assuming or over-thinking details in your life, look to His promises. God tells us:
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9
God also assures us that “for those who love God all things work together for good.” Romans 8:28
We need to get rid of presumptions, “what if’s” and over-thinking. We need to let go and not be anxious. God’s in control. He has your best interest.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
“After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day….” Luke 2:43-44
Mary and Joseph lost track of Jesus when he was a boy. They were traveling for the Festival of the Passover, and they assumed he was with them. He wasn’t!
In Os Hilman’s devotional “Going Without Jesus”, he asks us a very important question:
Are you experiencing daily, even moment-by-moment, fellowship with Jesus? If not, you will wake up one day and realize Jesus is not with you in your endeavors. It may, like Mary and Joseph, create a certain fear in you that you may have lost a very important relationship.
Jesus said He would never leave or forsake His children. However, we can walk away from His fellowship by refusing to be with Him. Do not let this happen to you. He longs to have daily fellowship with you because He loves you.
That being said, seek Him continuously.
Read the Bible.
“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. It is God’s way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17
Pray.
“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests…” Ephesians 6:18.
“Pray without ceasing” 1 Thessalonians 5:17
Sometimes, God will call us to retreat – to go away from our daily routines and seek Him.
“The hand of the Lord was upon me there, and He said to me, ‘Get up and go out to the plain, and there I will speak to you.’” Ezekiel 3:22
Don’t get too busy. Like the popular saying goes: If you’re too busy to spend time with God, you’re too busy.
“Delight yourself also in the LORD: and he shall give you the desires of your heart.” Psalms 37:4
“…and whoever trusts in the LORD, happy is he.” Proverbs 16:20
“Young people,it’s wonderful to be young! Enjoy every minute of it. Do everything you want to do; take it all in. But remember that you must give an account to God for everything you do. So refuse to worry…!” Ecclesiastes 11:9-10
“...for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10
Seek to be thankful. Enjoy your life. Don’t worry. Embrace your calling. Trust Him!
Be blessed,
Nathalia
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Self-control is one of my biggest personal weaknesses, in one of those “three steps forward, two steps backward” kind of ways.
But still, I press on.
I press on because I believe God’s Word, which says my entire testimony can be disqualified when lack of self-control is displayed in my life.
The longer I walk with the Lord, the more clearly I see that a lack of self-control can take many forms.
Lust, fury, gluttony, and laziness come to mind, to name just a few.
Perhaps you struggle with self-control, too.
It’s my prayer that you’ll be encouraged by praying the Scriptures for self-control. God has laid these verses on my heart in the time of my own need, and it’s my prayer that He continues to conform you and me into the image of His Son Jesus Christ in the realm of self-control.
Prayers for Self-Control
Thank God that you are not alone in temptation, claiming the truth that no temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. Praise God for His faithfulness in not letting you be tempted beyond your ability. Ask Him to give you an awareness of the way of escape He always provides, and the courage to make use of it (I Corinthians 10:13)
Pray that God would give you an athlete’s mentality, as one who is exercising self-control in all things as you train for the race and then run to receive the Prize. Ask Him to help you run your race in such a way that you may obtain the eternal Prize. Beg Him for the grace you need to discipline your body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others you yourself should be disqualified (I Corinthians 9:24-27).
Ask God to keep at the forefront of your mind the truth that the end of all things is at hand, and that this understanding would motivate you to be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers (I Peter 4:7).
Thank God for His grace that has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, as we wait for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people for his own possession who are passionate about doing good works (Titus 2:11-14).
Remind God of His promise to work in you, giving you the desire and the ability to act according to His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13).
Claim the truth that you have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer you who live, but Christ lives in you. Recommit to the Lord that the life which you now live in the flesh you will not live by your own power, but by faith in the Son of God who loved you and gave Himself up for you (Galatians 2:20).
Ask God to help you walk by the Spirit, not gratifying the desires of the flesh (Galatians 5:16).
Share with God your amazement that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit of God within you. Pray that He would remind you often that you are not your own, for you were bought with a price and are therefore obligated to glorify God in your body (I Corinthians 6:19-20).
Beg God to grant you a love for Him instead of the world or the things in the world. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. Ask that He would enable you to live each day with an awareness that the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever (I John 2:15-17).
Dear Heavenly Father, I confess that too often, I allow myself to be controlled by my desires and my impulses rather than by Your Spirit. Please forgive me and help me to draw me closer to You, walking in Your Spirit every moment of every day. This is impossible for me apart from Your grace, so please grant it lavishly, as you promise. It’s in the name of my Savior, Jesus Christ, that I pray. Amen.
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