Written by Madison Caffrey

I have a fear of skydiving. I am deathly afraid of jumping from some obscene height with a person strapped to my back, falling at unfathomable speeds, relying on the person on my back to pull the parachute and bring us to safety. Why am I so afraid of this? I can sum it up in one word, CONTROL. I am not in control of the situation. I have to have complete trust in someone who is more knowledgeable than me about jumping out of planes. I have to let go of my fears and anxieties and just take a leap of faith out of the airplane. In the end, I will end up safely on the ground with the biggest adrenaline rush of my life, wondering why I even was scared in the first place.

This is the same situation when it comes to our faith. It’s hard to let go of all aspects of our lives and deliver them over into the hands of Jesus. As humans we like control. We like being in charge of ourselves. We like to see transformation and self-improvement. While transformation is a great thing, it can’t be done in our human hands and minds. But it’s hard for us to give our problems and lives over to the God of the Universe at times. We can’t physically see Him. He doesn’t verbally talk out loud to us like a friend with good advice. And for so many of us, this results in keeping parts of our lives to ourselves. We may only give God pieces of us, the more polished pieces and keep the dirtier, soiled pieces to ourselves. Why do we do this? A lack of faith, clear and simple.

We develop trust issues that keep us from fully experiencing the true joy that can be found within trusting Christ. But we don’t have to live this way. There is freedom in surrendering ourselves fully to Christ. It isn’t the easiest process but when we have the faith to trust God in handling all of our life circumstances, you will be surprised how God works and uses you to further His kingdom.

“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.” – Proverbs 3:5-6

Paula Rinehart describes faith like this: “You know you are at trusting level when you feel a little on the edge of your chair and yet strangely at peace.”

Putting our trust in God is a concept that us humans have a hard time with. I know I do at times. The feeling of giving every aspect of your life to God and just allowing Him to work can seem a little on edge with a whole lot of peace in the mix. It’s a feeling like no other, and it’s definitely worth every minute of it. Let’s stop letting fear and anxiety get the best of us and start trusting whole-heartedly in the Creator of the Universe to use us as He pleases. We can rest assured God knows exactly what He is doing.

“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” –Isaiah 55:9

Lord I praise you that you know my every need even before I call on your name. Thank you that I don’t have to live a life full of fear and anxiety. I’m going to trust you whole-heartedly in all aspects of my life.