Let Go of Control

One of the reasons you might be struggling with your spiritual growth is because you try too hard to control your results.

If you really want to grow, you have to let go of control and trust your process.

For a long time, I tried to manufacture spiritual growth by “doing” things. I prayed more and longer, read my Bible more often, and tried to do cold evangelism. I finally realized that I did these things because I was trying to perform for someone else.

When I gave this up, I began to explore my own values around spirituality, growth, and transformation. These values led me to a set of practices that I yield to regularly, and in this, I find growth.

I learned that I can’t control my own growth. I can only create the space for it to happen. When I gave up trying to control my results, I found that I grew by leaps and bounds. But it was only after I gave up control that I found this success.

Control doesn’t help you. It merely gives you an illusion of success that you can hold onto.

Here are 3 reasons why you must let go of control.

Control lets you think you are in the driver’s seat when you really aren’t.

Control deals in manufactured results. What are you doing so that you will get a particular result?

Let go of this approach. Do things because you want to do them. Practice growth or spirituality habits because you desire the experience, not because you think you will get a particular result. If you approach a habit for the expected result, you will more often than not be disappointed.

Control often puts you in competition with others.

When we’re focused on expected results, we often compare ourselves with others. This comparison sometimes even spills over into trying to control them so that we come out ahead or at least keep pace.

Competition is harmful to growth because growth is internal and specific to an individual. No one can tell you how to grow; they can only tell you what has worked for them, or, in some cases, what has worked for others. So don’t compete; just focus on yourself.

Control sets you back when you are frustrated with unachieved results.

You are your own worst enemy when it comes to growth. Frustration gets you nowhere but more disappointment with yourself.

Always give yourself grace and be patient with yourself. If you believe you could have grown somewhere but didn’t, simply accept that awareness as growth in and of itself, and let that realization push you forward.

Where do you struggle with control? How can you let go of that desire? Leave a comment and let me know about your own growth journey.

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