How to Let God Lead Even When Letting Go Seems Impossible
How many of us feel a tight grip on the things we love most? Our jobs, our plans, even our daily routines. Let me tell you, I have been there. Surrender sounds good on a Sunday, but when Monday rolls around and real life hits, learning how to let God lead can feel like a climb up a mountain with no trail in sight. Still, over and over, I’ve seen that letting go is not about trusting an outcome, it’s about learning to trust God’s heart.
In our recent podcast episode, Amanda and I talked about the big, scary moments of surrender—those seasons where the Lord nudges us to release control and follow Him even if we cannot see the full picture, Finding God's grace in life's unexpected disasters. (Friend, if you missed Amanda’s story, you need to go back and listen. It’s honest, beautiful, and so real.) Let’s talk practical and honest about what it looks like to truly let God lead, even when we’d rather keep holding on.
Why Learning How to Let God Lead Can Feel So Hard
I remember seasons where it was all too easy to say "God, I trust you" with my mouth, but inside? I was clutching my plans like a lifeline. Maybe you can relate. There’s something in us that equates letting go with losing everything, finding hope after loss by growing spiritually and embracing suffering. It feels risky, maybe even reckless. You want to protect your family, your income, your reputation. Who wouldn’t?
But here’s the other side. Every time I have chosen to open my hand instead of closing my fist, I have not been left empty. Have there been hard days? Absolutely. But God fills what we surrender, Spiritual self-care tips for building strength in difficult seasons. Amanda said it, and I’ll say it too. When you let go, you make space for God to do what only He can do, trusting God through waiting when healing takes longer than expected. That’s the heart of how to let God lead, trusting God with family decisions even when His path looks different. It does not mean you will always get what you want. It does mean you will experience a deeper trust and a steadier peace than you ever could by holding onto control.
The Real Reasons We Struggle with Surrender
- Fear of the unknown (What if God’s plan is different than mine?)
- Desire for security (It’s hard to trust when your comfort is at stake)
- Past disappointments (It feels safer not to hope too much)
- Pride in self-sufficiency (We want to say we did it ourselves)
I’m not pointing fingers here. I’ve walked through all these. But I’ve also learned that the key to how to let God lead is not in fighting it—it’s in facing it. Naming what is hard gives God room to speak into it.
What Does It Look Like to Actually Let God Lead? Real Steps, Real Stories
Can I be completely honest? Sometimes I wish surrender was just a single prayer, and all my doubts would disappear. But letting God lead is more like a daily practice. Small yeses, quiet prayers, honest conversations with God (including those frustrated "Why is this happening?" moments).
I remember years ago, sitting at a crossroads with my career. God was nudging me to let go of a job that felt safe but was draining every bit of energy from my soul. I argued, I calculated budgets, I played out every scenario where I could keep control. But the whisper in my spirit kept saying, "Will you trust Me with this?" That’s when I had to learn how to let God lead in ways I never planned for. Here's what helped.
1. Honest Conversations with God Matter Most
Let it be messy with Him. I have poured out anger, doubt, and disappointment in prayer—and God met me there. Friend, you do not have to pretend. Psalm 23 became my anthem. When I did not have enough hope to make bold declarations, I clung to, "Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for you are with me" (Psalm 23:4, CSB).
2. Find Safe Community and Boundaries
I cannot say this enough. You need people who love you for who you are, not just for what you do. Make sure your closest voices are people who point you back to Jesus—not to fear, shame, or quick fixes. And yes, it is okay to set serious boundaries with the voices that drain your faith. I’ve turned off social media in hard seasons, traded distraction for truth, and watched my heart heal.
3. Call Out the Lies and Replace Them with Truth
We all tell ourselves stories. Sometimes they are old stories—like, "I’ll never be enough," or "If I let go, everything will fall apart." When you start hearing those, pause and ask, "Is this what God says about me?" If not, replace it with the truth. If you want to know how to let God lead for real, start with getting His words in your heart. Sometimes that just means grabbing onto a single scripture and repeating it all day long—especially on those endless Tuesday afternoons when nothing seems to go your way.
How to Let God Lead When Everything in You Wants Control
We hear a lot about surrender, but it is so much more than saying "yes" to God in the big things. It happens in rhythms—in your ordinary Tuesday morning, your quiet commute, your "I don’t know what comes next" moments. I’ve found some practical things that make it possible to let God lead, even when I feel the urge to control every detail.
Hold Your Plans Loosely
Make your lists, set your goals, but leave room for God’s better plan. I almost missed out on some of the best experiences because I wanted to stick to my agenda. Learning how to let God lead means listening and being willing to pivot. If He asks you to change course, it’s not punishment, it’s usually protection or preparation. Maybe both.
Keep Reminding Yourself of God’s Faithfulness
The more I rehearse how God has shown up before, the braver I get the next time. Write it down, say it out loud, share it with a friend. Our community grows stronger when we tell the stories of how God led us through.
Let Yourself Grieve the Little Deaths
I’ll be real. Letting go costs something. Sometimes it costs a paycheck, a dream, or just our pride. It is okay to feel sad or frustrated about what you are giving up. Give yourself permission to mourn, but do not stay there. That space makes room for new growth. I have seen it up close. Your surrender is the soil where new dreams take root.
Never Stop Dreaming with God
For a long time, I thought surrender meant giving up every hope I had. That’s not it. Sometimes, letting God lead means opening your heart again, dreaming new dreams with Him, even after disappointments. He cares about your heart and your desires more than you even know. When I decided to release my hold, God began to reawaken things in me that I thought were gone forever. Ask Him what He wants to do with your gifts. He never wastes a thing.
How to Let God Lead in Real Life: A Community Affair
We are not meant to surrender alone. There is so much strength in our community—our real-life, imperfect, hand-in-hand community. That is why I love sharing these stories with you. When we cheer each other on, celebrate faith steps, or just sit together in the waiting, we start to see that we are not alone after all.
I have watched our community pray, carry each other, show up with groceries, sit in the silence, and laugh at God’s timing when answers are slow. This is what it means to follow God together. Learning how to let God lead becomes less scary when you have someone right beside you who has walked that road and made it to the other side.
Key Takeaways for How to Let God Lead:
- Talk to God honestly about your fears and frustrations
- Let safe people speak truth into your life (and filter out the rest)
- Keep God’s promises in front of you, especially on the hard days
- Allow yourself to grieve what you give up, but look for new dreams God wants to bring
- Celebrate every small step of obedience, even when they feel shaky
Encouragement for the One Afraid to Surrender
Can I tell you the truth? Letting God lead will never make sense to the world. Sometimes it will not even make sense to your own heart. But He is always faithful, and He is so trustworthy with your future. Every single act of surrender opens the door for more of His goodness to show up in your life.
I pray you see that you are not alone. I pray you believe that letting go is not the end, but the beginning of new purpose and peace. I am cheering for you as you learn how to let God lead, one wobbly step at a time. And if you need a boost, listen to our podcast episode on surrender. Amanda’s story and our whole conversation will remind you that obedience might be scary, but you are braver than you think.
Stay connected. Keep hoping. God has so much more for you when you let Him lead.
Listen to the full episode here for more encouragement, stories, and next steps.
