Reduce Your Stress by Praying the Lord’s PrayerSample

Matthew 6:10 “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."

Surrender Your Will for His

Striving for control increases stress. Unfortunately, this shows up in all sorts of uncomfortable ways. We might try to manage what others think of us. Perhaps we scramble after significance. Or, when in conversation with others, we dive in to fix their problems. But here’s the thing, control is an illusion. The truth is it adds a whole lot of stress to our already complicated lives. We can’t control much of what happens on any given day. We can only control our response to those events.

Jesus knew how tempted we were going to be to try to strive for control, so He invited us to pray, “Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). Our culture values power, wealth, success and status. Each of these tempts us to strive for greater control, adding extraordinary stress to our lives. Jesus offers a different way. He invites us to come to Him, relinquish our concerns and invite His will.

When we surrender control and invite God’s kingdom to rule in our lives, we find that the burden of trying to manage everything feels lighter. In the end, it’s not about building our kingdom or managing our success. It’s about promoting His kingdom and doing His will. When His will is what we long for above all else, we will experience far less stress.

Pause and Reflect: Perhaps it feels scary for you to surrender. You’ve been striving for so long, trying to keep all the plates of your life spinning. Let me ask you. What would happen if you gave all that to Jesus? How might your life look different?

Pray: Lord Jesus, I praise You that You are the King of Kings and the Lord of all lords. I bow before You and echo the words You taught us to pray, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Where I am clinging to control, may I let go and cleave to you instead. Where I am fighting your will, may I lay down my plans and surrender instead. I ask today for the grace to trust that Your ways are best. Help me to rest in You.