![Perspectives Into Practice: How to Walk with God in Real Life: Faith in Practice & Spiritual Growth podcast logo](https://res.cloudinary.com/guidedsteps/image/upload/w_200,h_200,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto/v1770692402/perspectivesintopractice/podcast/93c1f77c54c8d7a9.jpg) Perspectives Into Practice Podcast October 20, 2026 Season 2, Episode 4200:30:33Published October 20, 2026 # How to Stop Trying to Control Others and Trust God With the People You Love ![Podcast episode artwork for How to Stop Trying to Control Others and Trust God With the People You Love](https://res.cloudinary.com/guidedsteps/image/upload/w_800,h_800,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto/v1791687603/perspectivesintopractice/episode/bdfe3c78c6cd1469.jpg) Listen Now Click play to start listening Your browser does not support the audio element. [Listen or download audio](https://episodes.castos.com/67919520171485-95710309/2652776/c1e-rq66qio81qds71d8k-z33z4j7zuxvd-p5txxv.mp3) ![Podcast episode artwork for How to Stop Trying to Control Others and Trust God With the People You Love](https://res.cloudinary.com/guidedsteps/image/upload/w_384,h_384,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto/v1791687603/perspectivesintopractice/episode/bdfe3c78c6cd1469.jpg) [Browse All Episodes](/podcast) Share This Episode Share episode on social media [Share on Twitter](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=How%20to%20Stop%20Trying%20to%20Control%20Others%20and%20Trust%20God%20With%20the%20People%20You%20Love&url=undefined%2Fpodcast%2Fhow-to-stop-trying-to-control-others-and-trust-god-with-the)[Share on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=undefined%2Fpodcast%2Fhow-to-stop-trying-to-control-others-and-trust-god-with-the)[Share on WhatsApp](https://wa.me/?text=How%20to%20Stop%20Trying%20to%20Control%20Others%20and%20Trust%20God%20With%20the%20People%20You%20Love%20undefined%2Fpodcast%2Fhow-to-stop-trying-to-control-others-and-trust-god-with-the) ## About This Episode Have you ever looked at someone else's life and thought, "If they would just listen to me, things would be so much better"? Maybe it's your child. Maybe it's someone you love deeply. Or maybe it's someone you don't even know very well, but you've already made up your mind about the decisions they're making. And then God reminds you that their walk with Him isn't yours to manage. In this episode of _Perspectives Into Practice_, I sit down with my new friend Wendy to talk about what God has been teaching her about judgment, grace, letting go of control, and trusting Him with the people around us. Wendy shares a recent experience at a conference where she found herself questioning why a particular speaker had been invited. She already had opinions about him based on things he'd said in the past, and she wasn't exactly excited to hear what he had to say. But as she sat there, God began asking her some questions of His own. And one of them was simple: **Do you trust Me?** What happened next challenged Wendy to recognize that people can grow, change, learn, and become more like Jesus, even when we aren't there to witness the process. God reminded her of something He's been teaching her for a while now: **Eyes on your own paper, my dear.** Because sometimes we're so busy watching what someone else is doing that we miss what God is trying to do in us.And this gets even harder when the person we're watching is someone we love. Wendy and I talk about what this looks like as mothers, especially as our children grow into adulthood and begin making decisions about their own faith. We can teach them, encourage them, pray for them, and love them with everything we have. But we cannot walk their relationship with Jesus for them. And trying to take responsibility for something that belongs to God can actually make it harder for us to love them well. One of the things I appreciate about Wendy's perspective is that she isn't talking about giving up on people or pretending their choices don't matter. She's learning to extend grace while still holding on to truth. She's learning when to speak and when to be quiet. And she's learning that trusting God with someone else's life doesn't mean loving them any less. ##### In this episode, we discuss: - Trusting God with the people we love - Recognizing when we've already judged someone before listening - Letting God challenge our assumptions about other people - Extending grace while still holding on to biblical truth - Remembering that people can grow, change, and learn - Why we need to keep our eyes on our own walk with Jesus - What John 21 teaches us about following Jesus instead of comparing ourselves to others - Letting go of control as our children become adults - Trusting God with adult children who aren't walking with Him - Recognizing what belongs to us and what belongs to God - Learning when to speak and when to hold our tongues - Loving someone without taking responsibility for their spiritual journey - Creating a safe place for our children to come back to - Praying for people without trying to control the outcome - Asking God to help us see the hearts of the people around us - Leading with curiosity, love, and grace instead of judgment - Why Christian community matters when we're navigating difficult relationships - Trusting that God's love for our children is greater than our own One of the Scriptures Wendy brings us back to is John 21, where Peter asks Jesus about another disciple. And Jesus essentially reminds him that his responsibility is to follow Him. Not to manage someone else's calling. Not to figure out someone else's future. Just to follow Jesus. And I think that's a reminder so many of us need. Friend, maybe there's someone in your life right now that you've been carrying so tightly because you love them and you're afraid of what might happen if you let go. You can love them deeply without being responsible for their entire journey. You can pray for them without trying to control the answer. You can care about the choices they're making and still trust that God is capable of meeting them in places you cannot reach. **God's love for them is greater than yours, and He's not asking you to take His place.** Maybe today is an invitation to put their paper back down, turn your attention toward your own, and ask God: **What are You doing in me right now?** You can learn more about Wendy Terry and connect with her at [**www.tcjhop.org**](https://www.tcjhop.org/). And if you're looking for a place to share what God is doing in your life right now, I'd love to invite you into **The Story Haven**. It's our free community where Christian women share the real, right-now stories of what God is doing, encourage one another, and build genuine relationships as we walk out our faith together. Join us at **TheStoryHaven.net** or find The Story Haven in the App Store or Google Play. If God is doing something in your life right now that you feel called to share, I'd love to hear from you. You don't need a platform, a ministry, or a perfectly wrapped-up testimony. Visit **PerspectivesIntoPractice.com** to learn more about becoming a guest on the podcast. ## 📝 Related Blogs 4 blog articles inspired by this episode [ ![Featured image for Trusting God in Daily Life Builds Faith and Brings Spiritual Growth](https://res.cloudinary.com/guidedsteps/image/upload/w_640,h_640,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto/v1784919598/perspectivesintopractice/blog/trusting-god-in-daily-life-builds-faith-and-brings-spiritual-growth-1784919598387.jpg) Blog article ## Trusting God in Daily Life Builds Faith and Brings Spiritual Growth Trusting God in daily life changes our ordinary routines into moments of spiritual growth. Discover hope and practical ways to see God in every small step you take. 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Read related article: Trusting God Through Change: Simple Steps for Major Life Transitions ](/blog/trusting-god-through-change-simple-steps-for-major-life-transitions) [ ![Featured image for Trusting God Through Struggles: Seeing His Provision When Life Feels](https://res.cloudinary.com/guidedsteps/image/upload/w_640,h_640,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto/v1784920142/perspectivesintopractice/blog/trusting-god-through-struggles-seeing-his-provision-when-life-feels-1784920142064.jpg) Blog article ## Trusting God Through Struggles: Seeing His Provision When Life Feels Trusting God through struggles is about seeing His faithful provision in ordinary life. Discover practical steps, scriptures, and real stories to fuel your hope in uncertainty. Read related article: Trusting God Through Struggles: Seeing His Provision When Life Feels ](/blog/trusting-god-through-struggles-seeing-his-provision-when-life-feels) [ ![Featured image for Trusting God During Illness: Daily Habits That Build Hope for Families](https://res.cloudinary.com/guidedsteps/image/upload/w_640,h_640,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto/v1784335622/perspectivesintopractice/blog/trusting-god-during-illness-daily-habits-that-build-hope-for-families-1784335622370.jpg) Blog article ## Trusting God During Illness: Daily Habits That Build Hope for Families Trusting God during illness can feel overwhelming, but small daily habits build hope and peace. I share real habits and honest encouragement for families seeking faith and renewal together. Read related article: Trusting God During Illness: Daily Habits That Build Hope for Families ](/blog/trusting-god-during-illness-daily-habits-that-build-hope-for-families) ### Episode Transcript (5,631 words) \[2 Speakers Detected\] \[Total Utterances: 117\] --- \[0:01 -> 1:25\] Speaker 1: Hey friend, welcome to Perspectives into Practice, a place where life's stories meet practical wisdom. Together, we'll explore how faith-filled perspectives can transform the way we live, love, and grow. So grab a seat, se... ### Share This Episode [Twitter](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=How%20to%20Stop%20Trying%20to%20Control%20Others%20and%20Trust%20God%20With%20the%20People%20You%20Love&url=https%3A%2F%2Fperspectivesintopractice.com%2Fpodcast%2Fhow-to-stop-trying-to-control-others-and-trust-god-with-the "Share on Twitter")[Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fperspectivesintopractice.com%2Fpodcast%2Fhow-to-stop-trying-to-control-others-and-trust-god-with-the "Share on Facebook")[LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fperspectivesintopractice.com%2Fpodcast%2Fhow-to-stop-trying-to-control-others-and-trust-god-with-the "Share on LinkedIn")[WhatsApp](https://wa.me/?text=How%20to%20Stop%20Trying%20to%20Control%20Others%20and%20Trust%20God%20With%20the%20People%20You%20Love%20https%3A%2F%2Fperspectivesintopractice.com%2Fpodcast%2Fhow-to-stop-trying-to-control-others-and-trust-god-with-the "Share on WhatsApp")[Email](mailto:?subject=How%20to%20Stop%20Trying%20to%20Control%20Others%20and%20Trust%20God%20With%20the%20People%20You%20Love&body=https%3A%2F%2Fperspectivesintopractice.com%2Fpodcast%2Fhow-to-stop-trying-to-control-others-and-trust-god-with-the "Share on Email")[Reddit](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fperspectivesintopractice.com%2Fpodcast%2Fhow-to-stop-trying-to-control-others-and-trust-god-with-the&title=How%20to%20Stop%20Trying%20to%20Control%20Others%20and%20Trust%20God%20With%20the%20People%20You%20Love "Share on Reddit")[Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fperspectivesintopractice.com%2Fpodcast%2Fhow-to-stop-trying-to-control-others-and-trust-god-with-the&description=How%20to%20Stop%20Trying%20to%20Control%20Others%20and%20Trust%20God%20With%20the%20People%20You%20Love "Share on Pinterest") ## More Episodes You Might Enjoy [ ![Podcast episode artwork for From Knowing About God to Walking With Him: Building a Real Relationship With Jesus](https://res.cloudinary.com/guidedsteps/image/upload/w_640,h_640,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto/v1791255605/perspectivesintopractice/episode/9e3ffa0865bb7dd3.jpg) Season 2, Episode 41 Podcast episode ## From Knowing About God to Walking With Him: Building a Real Relationship With Jesus There's a difference between knowing about God and actually learning to walk with Him. 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