The High Cost of Control: Learning to Trust Our Creator
Transforming Truth:
“For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, ‘In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.’ But you were unwilling.” –Isaiah 30:15 (ESV)
Last summer, a Bible study I was working on gave me a new perspective on the interwoven relationship between trust and rest. Starting with the Genesis creation narrative, we learn that God not only created everything Himself— “the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them”—in six days, but He also created Adam after everything else. (Genesis 1:27-31)
It had never occurred to me that although man was made in God’s image, Adam was brought to life in the midst of an already “very good,” fully provisional world. (Genesis 2:1-2) He was created without his own help, and his first full day with his Creator was spent on the seventh day, God’s day of rest.
Although Adam was eventually given the task of tending the garden, his first provision came straight from God’s own hand, not his personal labor: “And out of the ground the Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food.” (Genesis 2:9a)
A Lifestyle That Lacks Trust
This realization got me thinking about my own get-up-and-go lifestyle and must-do-it-all-now attitude. For most of my life, this hustle kept me from starting my day with God first and from experiencing the peace that comes with resting in Him and trusting Him with the results. Although this “make it happen” motivation is applauded in our culture, it led to struggles with physical anxiety symptoms that eventually snowballed out of control.
What was driving me to stay in hustle mode for all of those years? Looking back, I see a trail of convincing lies. It started with the lie that says you can only rely on yourself to make things happen. It whispers that you are driving the train, you can’t let up, and arriving at a successful destination is entirely on you. And the worst part? If you derail, you have failed.
You start to question: What am I worth to those who depend on me if I can’t make it happen?
A Glimpse of Garden Rest
But the truth looks much more like Adam’s experience in the Garden of Eden—existing amid a beautiful creation that functioned perfectly without Him. I remember catching a glimpse of this truth during a much-needed, off-the-grid family camping trip. Emerging from our quiet tent in the woods, I noticed how different it felt to step out into a world that required absolutely nothing of me to keep it going. I breathed a sigh of relief and felt free to stand there as long as I wanted, soaking in the awe-inspiring scene.
Yes, I would eventually have to boil water over the fire to make coffee, and yes, my daughters would eventually want breakfast. Still, the natural world that enveloped us was growing at its own pace, in rhythms that God created without our intervention. We could watch in awe and wonder while His works produced an abundance we could never achieve on our own.
Standing in those serene woods, I realized that my resistance to rest reflected a deep lack of trust. I often forget that God is at work even when we are not. We get pulled away from “grounding” time with Him because we are so focused on what we should do, falsely believing it is up to us to make “all the things” happen.
The Relationship Between Trust & Rest
This is not a new struggle. The ancient Israelites battled with self-reliance and a lack of trust in God’s promises. Even after God delivered them from Egyptian bondage and sustained them through visible, jaw-dropping miracles, they refused to trust in His provision and lost their opportunity to rest with Him in the Promised Land, wandering for another 40 years. They were “unwilling,” as Isaiah puts it, to return to God’s ways, to be still, and to trust Him to keep His promises without striving in their own strength.
When we consider this biblical history, we can view our own striving from a different perspective. What does it mean to you to recognize that God created Adam last, so he could rest with Him first?
Resting in Him begins when we remember our true purpose. God made us in His image to have a relationship with Him in the world He already built, not so we could step into His shoes and shoulder the burden of running the universe.
Once we understand the relationship God created us for, we can trust Him to provide. We can believe He is faithful to His promises, even when He doesn’t answer our prayers in the exact way or at the exact time we expect.
If letting go of the hustle is a challenge for you, as it has been for me, remember this: trust is built through relationship. Start building that relationship with your trustworthy Creator first, and true rest for your soul will quickly follow.
Nighttime Prayer:
Heavenly Father, forgive me for the times I buy into the lie that everything depends on me. I confess that my desire to control, my constant hustle, and my anxiety reveal a lack of trust in Your ultimate care. Help me to remember Adam in the Garden, waking up to a world already fully provided for by Your hands, spending Your day of rest with You. Today, I choose to step off the treadmill of self-reliance. I return to You, placing my burdens in Your hands and letting go of my need to make things happen on my own. Teach me what it means to find my true strength in quietness and in trust, rather than in my own striving. I ask for the courage to rest in Your presence, to breathe in Your peace that surpasses my understanding, and to simply receive Your perfect provision. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Questions for Reflection:
- What specific lies (or performance-based expectations) are whispering to you that you have to make things happen in your own life?
- How can you practically shift from relying on your own “get-up-and-go” energy to finding strength in stillness and surrendering your plans to the Lord today?
- What is one area where you feel God is asking you to simply receive His provision rather than strive to achieve it yourself?
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Join the Conversation:
Is letting go of the hustle lifestyle a challenge for you? Are you struggling to trust your Creator and let go of what is currently stealing your peace? Share your reflections in the comments below. I’d love to pray for you!
*This devotional was published on Crossmap.com as part of the Daybreak Devotions series.
Renée Gotcher is a freelance writer and editor, a wife of 31 years and “retired” homeschooling mother of three daughters, and an outdoor-loving Colorado transplant who’s called the scenic town of Castle Rock her home for the past 15 years. A recovering perfectionist and overachiever blindsided by debilitating physical anxiety 13 years ago, Renée now shares her journey to relieve anxiety, restore peace, and revive hope by stepping outside for soul-soothing walks with our Savior on her blog, The Pace of Grace. She invites readers to stop striving to overcome anxiety alone and walk with God at His pace on the path to healing. She recently contributed to Proverbs 31 Ministries’ “Encouragement for Today Devotions” series, and her latest published work appears in the book “Life Changing Stories: A Devotional Collection Revealing God’s Faithfulness and Transforming Power.”
