Restoring Your Soul - Living a Limitless LifeSample

The Truth about Anxiety and Control

Growing up in a non-communicative home, experiencing chaos or abuse, or walking through life-altering events that shook our sense of safety often leave us trying to get back to a place of stability and emotional safety. When that has been our reality, we make an internal vow: I’ll never feel this powerless again. As a result, our instinct is to cope by trying to control the people and circumstances around us.

However, that creates a paradox. When we grasp for control over what lies outside of us, it only deepens the very powerlessness we’re trying to escape. The more we attempt to control external dynamics, whether directly, manipulatively, or even aggressively, the more anxious and unsettled we become. The more anxious we become, the more we attempt to control. It’s a vicious cycle!

The shift happens when we turn our attention inward. By focusing on what is truly within our control, which includes our choices, thoughts, and responses, we become more grounded and centered. In that space, the need to control others eases, and with it, anxiety is often replaced with a sense of calm. What once felt like a desperate struggle to manage everything around us transforms into a more stable and tranquil way of living.

On a deeper level, true surrender means releasing our limited understanding and letting God lead the way. When we learn to release control into God’s hands, peace replaces turmoil.

When we are tempted to worry and try to fix circumstances that are beyond our control, focusing on what is within our control and trusting Jesus will relieve a huge burden.

I Invite You to Ask Yourself:

1. What people or situations in my life am I trying to control in my current circumstances?
2. How does it affect me emotionally when things don’t go my way?
3. How might I feel if I could focus on what I can control and trust God with the result?

I Invite You to Pray:

Lord, help me to become aware of the ways I try to control the people or circumstances around me. I know that is a futile attempt to cope with my powerlessness or feelings of anxiety. Please show me what is within my control, so that I can focus on being responsible for myself and to others. Help me to let go and teach me to rest in Your sovereignty, not in my own striving. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.