January 15
The Peace
of Letting Go
Proverbs 3:5-6
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.
Daily Steps
The opposite of peace is the exhausting need to control everything. The pressure comes from the second half of this verse: "lean not on your own understanding."
When we lean, we are relying on our limited sight, finite wisdom, and anxious calculations to figure out the path ahead. This is a heavy, unsustainable burden that robs us of rest.
The path to peace is found in the simple command: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart." Trust is not a feeling; it's an action—the deliberate choice to lift your hands off the steering wheel of your life and place them in God's.
It is an act of surrender where you choose to believe that God's plan is better, and His understanding is perfect.
The promise that follows is the assurance of peace: "and he will make your paths straight." When you stop trying to figure everything out and simply submit your plans to God, He steps in to provide the clarity, direction, and certainty you crave. Release the control; receive the peace.
Reflective Question
What is one area of your life (a relationship, a financial worry, a future decision) where you are currently "leaning on your own understanding?" What does it look like to consciously surrender that one specific area to God today?
Prayer
Lord, I confess that I struggle with the need to control. Forgive me for leaning on my own limited wisdom, which only leads to worry. Today, I choose to trust You with all my heart.
I surrender my plans and my need to know the future. Thank You for the promise that You will make my path straight and give me the peace of letting go. Amen.
