How do we let go and let God?
Paul says to “throw off everything that hinders us and the sin that so easily entangles us” (Hebrews 12.1 NIV). Every day we have a chance to renew our mind in Christ. This allows Him to take all that hinders us so we can run “the race marked for us.” These hinders become sin that trips us up and slows us down. Giving it to God may seem scary at first, but our surrender will bring us freedom.
Runners know that to run with perseverance they have to let go of everything. Some will even shave the hair on their entire body because a slick, clean surface makes all the difference. Every day we much choose to let go of what’s behind, so we have a smooth surface surrendered to God. When we let go, we give God a clean slate to do His mighty work in our lives.
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What Does Giving it to God Mean?
Surrendering to God is literally giving up. It is telling God that we are not big enough to deal with our worries, and He must take over. When we finally let go, we give God room to wield His mighty arm in our lives. When our hands are weak and tired, God’s hands are strong and powerful!
Powerful is your arm! Strong is your hand! Your right hand is lifted high in glorious strength”
Psalm 89.13 NLT
How to Let Go and Let God
Letting go and letting God is a daily, moment-by-moment choice. Like every discipline in life, we must learn to surrender and give it to God. The enemy seeks every new day to cloud our minds with worries, doubts, and fears. The devil wants there to be no room left for God in our lives. Surrendering to God becomes a lifestyle of daily giving it all to Him.
Whenever the ugly hairs of negatives thoughts seek to invade our space, we must cut them and give them to God immediately. God’s mercies are new every morning, so what happened yesterday, last year or a decade ago is completely gone. Carrying the past around will only take up space for God’s goodness, grace, and favor. Renewing our mind in Christ means letting go of all the burdens He died to take from us.
We can let go and let God by doing these things:
- Start each day by giving it to God – Do not take yesterday’s mistakes into the clean slate of today. Mentally shave off every single worry, doubt, fear, mistake, and anxiety from your mind each morning.
- Give it to God by starting each day with prayer – Speak to God. Yes, the day is full of responsibilities, but first talk to God. Acknowledge Him. Tell Him that you love Him. Tell Him that you are thankful for Jesus’ sacrifice for your life. Invite God’s Spirit to guide you that day. Before you talk to anyone, talk to God. He will set your day on the right path.
- Give it to God by starting each day with Scripture – Open your Bible and read where you left off from the previous day. Grab your phone and use a Bible App. Look through your emails and find encouraging verses that are sent to you. The Bible is living and active and like cool water for your thirsty soul.
- Give it to God by surrounding yourself with encouragement – You will never make it alone. You need to have people who speak truth into your life. You can also listen to podcasts, read books, watch videos and listen to Christian music that boosts your faith and encourages your spirit. Always be on the lookout for people and recourses that you can add as spiritual buffers in your life.
- Give it to God by renewing your mind continually – The world will constantly try to add worries to your day so it is important that you maintain your spiritual health! Continually surrender those worries to God. Trust and believe that God is for you. He loves you and wants only the best for you. When you let go, you can fully rest in His strength. You don’t have to worry. The Creator of the World is on your side.
Let Go and Let God Have All of It
Sometimes negatives thoughts have become so much a part of our natural thought processes that we don’t know we can give them to God. However, God needs space to move in our lives. We can clear out all the debris that is clogging up our minds and learn to surrender to Him. Below are a few thought strongholds that seek to steal our minds and hearts from God.
Giving it to God – Control
Control is the hardest thing to give up because without it we feel vulnerable. But we do not need to worry. God is already in control. We need to recognize His authority and move over to let Him lead. He is the Creator of the Universe so we can trust Him with each day. Letting go is scary at first, but the freedom in our mind and hearts will be worth it.
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose”
Romans 8.28 ESV
Giving it to God – Worry
Worry adds not a single day to our lives. In fact, worry oppresses us every second. Worry can literally affect not only our minds and hearts but our bodies too. Worry does absolutely nothing positive. Surrender worry to God and watch your life float in His favor.
Related: 3 Steps to Let Go and Give God Your Worries
Giving it to God – Finances
We tend to hold tightly to our finances. However, God wants to take the reins of our money. Money can become an idol if we place it before God. God wants to bless us, so we need to put our finances in its proper place: In God’s Hands. God will take care of us. We simply need to surrender our money and obey His leading.
Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’”
Hebrews 13.5 ESV
Giving it to God – Your Future
We can only change one day at a time. Living in the future robs us from the joy of today. Each day is a gift, and we miss it when we allow our minds to dwell on all the unknowns. We can trust God with our future so we can focus on today. Trying to control the future is like trying to control the wind. Contentment in today will prevent our eyes from wandering off to tomorrow.
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself”
Matthew 6:34 NIV
Let Go and Let God Prayer Journal
1 Peter 5:7 (NLT) tells us to “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.”
Are you struggling with certain areas of your life and know you need to just let go and let God take the wheel?
I created the Let Go and Let God Prayer Journal to help you to identify the things you need to relinquish control of, meditate on them, and ask God (in writing) to take the wheel.
This journal comes with verses of scripture to pray over specific areas of your life as well as journaling prompts to help you mediate over the issue as you ask God to take from you.
How are you giving it to God in your daily life? Are you fully surrendering to Him in every area? We’d love to hear from you! Please leave us a comment below about things you’ve let go and let God handle!
Watch the video below for some additional encouragement and understanding of how important giving it to God is and how to physically hand it over to Him!
Be sure also read:
- What If I Don’t Know How To Pray?
- Overcoming the Spirit of Gossip with Prayer – 7 Promises of Blessings
- Where Does God Fit Into Your Life?
I love how you mentioned “every day we have the chance to renew our mind in Christ.” I think we often get into the mindset that our transformation in Christ takes place on its own when really it is a conscious, intentional decision we must make every day!
Yes, I’m just now realizing that if I don’t renew my mind, I will never make it through the day!
Growing up, my best friend’s mom had a framed sign hanging in their house that said “Let Go and Let God” and I never really understood why that phrase meant so much to her. But now, as an adult, I get it 100%. We get so wrapped up in our day to day crises of every size and to-do lists that we need to be reminded on the regular! Giving it to God brings so much freedom, but for some reason we get hesitant. My guiding word this year is Intention. More specifically, I want to be intentional about godly surrender. This post on giving it all over to God, was such a sweet reminder!
Thank you! I love that she had that sign. I think I should put one in every room of my house.
Amen that’s is so true we need to surrender without God we are nothing we need him every single do you ever life he is our strength our refuge our courage and walk in the holy spirit ain’t nobody God hear the truth and accept it it is so true to stay around positive people who can help you amen God can deliver us for no matter what place your shape we’re in we can just say seek him and put him in sinor of your life you have to have a Christian direct life and instead of a self-directed life that means you have to live God’s will not the will that you want to
I appreciate this post and your YouTube! It is important to give it all to God because baggage gets heavy and pretty soon we do become so bogged down we have no energy left for anybody including God. Our family from all over the states do a Bible plan on You Version and it is a great way to hear each other’s hearts and stay in touch with accountability.
That baggage does get so heavy and it’s not worth carrying! Jesus is more than capable. I love that your family does the Bible App together!
This is such a daily thing. I’m always amazed at how I can wonder along quite well and then the Lord puts his finger on something i’ve been holding on to. 9 times out of 10 it’s something that has become an idol in my life, as i’ve allowed it to come between the Lord and I. Daily I look to him to be the eyes I don’t have, and as he sees things I need to let go of, daily I give it to him.
Yes, so many people don’t realize they are carrying idols — me included! That’s why it so important to daily give it all to HIm.
Letting go and giving it to God is probably one of the scariest things I have ever done in my life. But definitely one of the best things!” I know when I start my day with God, in the Word learning His biblical truths, letting go of control throughout the day becomes easier. Thanks for sharing.
Amen! So many of the scariest things are the best things! But once we finally submit, life has more freedom!
I loved your reminder that “giving it to God” is something we need to do every single day. Actually, like you said, it’s a moment-by-moment choice. These are good tips for making sure we’re truly surrendering our lives to the One who’ll bring beauty from even the messes we hand over to Him:)
Agree! We give God our messes, and He produces something beautiful!
I really enjoyed this! It confirmed what we heard in our ladies group on Tuesdays. Giving our “issues” to God, and asking Him to help us let it go.
So glad you are part of a ladies group that is teaching truth that will free you all and give more room for Jesus!
Hi Alisa, good words for us to remember and to live by daily. Giving it to God must occur daily and when we find ourselves picking something backup then we must stop and pray. I find it so easy to try to pick up the issues I have already given to Him
I always finding myself leaning over to pick up worries I had already given God, which is why I must constantly renew! Thank you for your sweet words!
I love that you pointed out giving it to God is a moment-by-moment choice. If only it were a one and done! Thanks for these practical pointers and Bible verses to point to truth!
Give it to God and don’t take it back. 🙂 Great message.
Oh I needed this message. Though I know these truths, I need frequent reminders to yield all that I have, all that I am to God. This is my prayer, let me give it all to You, Lord. Great post!
I love the imagery of all our “stuff” taking up the space that should be occupied by God. I also appreciated your references of “shaving” and “cutting” away worry, anxiety, control, etc. Such truths here. My days are always more manageable when I stick to my quiet time routine. Surrender is a daily commitment! Thank you for this post: strong truth, encouragement, and affirmation.
So encouraging! Just what I need right now. Why is it so hard to so something so ultimately comforting?? Letting go.
I’m really struggling with this. I’m slowly, forcefully, prying my fingers off – but maybe I need to focus more on reach out to God than just letting go.
Oh, wow, love your practical tips to give everything to God in how we start our day. There are several areas where it’s challenging for me to surrender to God – my health, my kids, and my loved ones. It’s way too easy for me to slip into striving and trying to control it all, which is impossible! It gives me so much peace to truly trust in Him and rest in His guidance and care.
Thank you so much for this message! I struggle with letting go everyday. But I’ve lately decided to start my day with a Bible hour. I read Scripture, do a Bible study, do some Bible copywork and pray. I’ve noticed that I begin the day much calmer, even when I’m in the middle of chaos. But even with all that, I still struggle to let God take control the rest of the day. I’m constantly saying “I” need to take care of this or “We” should do this to fix this problem. Thank you for clarifying what I can do in those moments to let go and let God. Blessings!
GOOD without GOD. Get rid of your superstitions. Learn the scientific truth!
I recently learned the scripture about Be still and know that I am God literally means Let Go. That was a big help to me!
Candace – I love your blog and everyone’s thoughts! I am struggling each day with weight that I’ve gained. I have tried this and that, but I have deicded to give it to God again. I am tired of trying to figure out what to do and what not to do. I did that once before and lost over 100 lbs and gained 40 back.
Thank you Alisa for this wonderful and enlightening piece. Financial worries has really caught up with me to my neck and was browsing through the web for testimonies from Christians who may have been though a touch situation like mine and have been delivered. That’s where I stumbled across your blog. All I can say is, you have really lifted my heart and spirit. I am putting your guidance into practice and will gladly share my testimony of the outcome of taking the step of faith in letting go and giving it all to God.
As Christians, it is our duty to reach out to God and put effort into getting to know Him. In order to develop a firm and profound relationship with God, we need to learn more about who He truly is.
thank you Alisa for this wonderful and heartwarming message..Im so blessed with this! as a christian Not every is a joyful day but we do encounter some troubles and we feel worry about it. sometimes I do that ! but thanks for this message it enlighten my Spirit..Thank God for using you as an instrument to blessed us! God bless you Alisa !
Thank you for your great blog. I am one who gives it to God, but I have found myself distracted easily and before I realize it, I have taken the burdens and worries all back. I need to work on moment by moment, thank you for that reminder how easy it is to forget that we have to keep vigilant and be watchful, and trust God to take care of all our baggage. Blessing for your kind heart and sharing!
I couldn’t agree more with you! I let go and take it back. It indeed a great reminder to make a daily practice of letting go to give God room to work or receive from Him.
Very encouraging article. I couldn’t sleep at night and decided to read something and found this. I am refreshed and reminded of how much our God is for us and has done it all for us. There is freedom when we let go as I feel right now! I love your short quote-like statements. Easy to remember and connect to scripture. This is one to bookmark and revisit often. God bless
THIS BLOG WAS AMAZING OH MY GOD!!!!!!!! VERY INSPIRING!! also when I read your bio and how you’re aggressive with leading a simple life, I was thinking, WAIT THAT’S LITERALLY ME. sorry for all caps but yeah. this blog is amazing. Praise God! The words you wrote just spoke to my heart! And so simple, too~