Are You Living a Controlled Life or a Surrendered Life?

• By candidasullivan
• November 4, 2025
• No Comments

Whew! What a question. I don’t know about you, but it makes me inwardly cringe. I already know the answer—deep in the marrow of my bones.

I like the illusion of control. I want to think I’m in charge of my life and every outcome. But the more I try to control, the more problems I create. So I try harder, worry more, and exhaust myself—believing that if I just think about every little detail, I can keep things from falling apart. But all it does is drain me and fill me with anxiety.

So, what would a surrendered life look like? How would it feel to live completely according to God’s will—to trust Him fully with every part of my life?

When I think about surrender, I think of Noah. He didn’t try to control the rain or stop the flood—he simply built the boat. God spared Noah and his family because of his obedience. Noah believed God and acted like he believed God. His actions aligned with God’s will.

Genesis 6:8–9 (KJV)
8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.
9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.

The day I got saved, I found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Therefore, I want to walk with God too. I don’t want to miss the blessings meant for me and my family because I failed to walk with Him or obey His voice.

Noah focused on what he could control—building the boat. He didn’t worry about when it might rain; he worked on the boat. He didn’t question God’s instructions; he followed them.

Wisdom is knowing that we can’t always understand God’s ways—but following Him anyway.

To follow Him, we must be willing to do things we don’t fully understand.

Genesis 6:22 (KJV)
22 Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.

Genesis 7:5 (KJV)
5 And Noah did according to all that the Lord commanded him.

In several places, the Scriptures tell us that Noah did what God commanded him to do. So when trouble came, Noah had already acquired safety for himself and his family.

But it could have been so different. Noah could have doubted God when He told him the plan to destroy the earth. He could have questioned God’s instructions for the ark. He could have allowed fear to paralyze him or questioned his worth. But he didn’t do any of those things. He did what God told him to do—and God blessed him and his family.

If my story were recorded in the Bible, I’d be ashamed for people to read it. It might say:

“God told her to write a book, but she questioned her ability.
She doubted her worthiness.
She worried instead of praying.
She doubted instead of acting.”

Writing that makes me cry. While there is still breath in my body, I want to change my ending.

I want it to read something like this:

“She obeyed God and followed Him.
She found grace in the eyes of the Lord and walked with Him.
And He blessed her greatly—helping her to help others and to live a beautiful life.”

What do you want your story to say?