Focus
Surrendering Control
Message
The new year is a time to surrender our plans and trust God to establish our steps.
As the new year begins, it’s natural to set goals, make resolutions, and plan for the months ahead. While planning is wise and necessary, Scripture reminds us to surrender those plans to the Lord. Proverbs 16:3 teaches us that when we commit our ways to God, He takes our plans and aligns them with His will. Surrendering control doesn’t mean we abandon responsibility—it means we trust God to guide, shape, and fulfill what’s best for us.
Often, we hold tightly to our own ideas, fearing the unknown or desiring a specific outcome. But God’s plans are infinitely higher and better than ours. When we release our plans to Him, we acknowledge that He knows what is best, even when the path looks different than we imagined. Surrender is an act of faith and a declaration that we trust God’s wisdom over our own.
Scripture Reading
Proverbs 16:9 – “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”
Refreshing for the Day
So, beloved, take time to write down your plans, dreams, and goals for the new year. Then, in prayer, surrender each one to God, asking Him to lead and align them with His will. Stay Refreshed!
Note This
Surrendering control to God is not giving up; it is entrusting your plans to the One who sees the bigger picture.
Responsibility
What plans or goals are you holding onto too tightly? How can you release them into God’s hands?
Pause in His presence
Prayer
O Lord, I surrender my plans for this year to You. Help me to trust Your guidance and to walk in faith, knowing that Your plans are good and perfect. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
Carry this with you
Prophetic Declaration
I declare that as I surrender my plans to God, He will guide my steps and fulfill His purposes in my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
Bible Texts
Proverbs 16:9