The stench hit in waves when we walked through the front door. I can’t quite describe it, but trust me. It was bad. The waves grew stronger as we moved closer to the kitchen.

What on earth could cause such a rancid smell?

We searched the house. We deep cleaned. We asked for advice, even though it was totally embarrassing asking about possible sources for a nasty smell in our house, and how to get rid of it.

Letting Go Of Control

Through our top-notch detective work, we finally concluded the smell must be coming from a poor critter who somehow got inside our walls. We live near a lake, so it isn’t unusual to see frequent visitors such as mice, squirrels, snakes, and more. Unfortunately, one such visitor must’ve found a way in and gotten trapped.

There are a few problems that arise when this happens.

Number one: finding the critter.

Number two: figuring out how to get it out.

Number three: finding where it got in, so it doesn’t happen again.

With the help of professionals, we checked one and two off our list. Number three proved to be a huge problem that persisted for months and months. No matter how hard we tried, we could not find where they were getting in, which resulted in more stinks, more money, and more frustration.

It became a joke among family and friends. We’d never heard of anyone having such problems with dead critters! Let’s just say family get-togethers for sure weren’t happening at our house. But even though I tried to keep a light-hearted attitude about it, my patience wore thin. I was determined to solve this problem, but it was beyond my grasp.

Image reads "Letting Go Of Control" shows a woman feeling free.

I felt like I was fighting nature, and nature was winning. Finally I threw my hands in the air and thought, “Forget it. I can’t figure it out. I’ll just live with a stinky house forever!”

I decided to let go of control because I’d become exhausted by my efforts.

Which is exactly what I needed to do all along - let go of control.

Why do we like to be in control?

There are many reasons why we get caught in the control trap. We may feel a deep sense of satisfaction from being needed or valued. Control can also provide temporary relief when we face uncertainty. We feel like if we keep control of our situation, we won’t have to ask ourselves all those what-if questions.

What if it doesn’t turn out the way I expected?

What if something bad happens?

What if I make things worse?

How to give control to God

I know I’m supposed to give my problems to God and trust Him with the answers. I love the message in 1 Peter 5:7, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” (NIV) Yet when it comes to my daily life, I still struggle to turn it over to Him. I feel like my way will work best, and I forget the most important truth.

Whatever the reason we like to be in control, we have hope today. Hope for when that cycle of control results in ugly things like frustration, overwhelm, and burnout.

A verse to remember when I'm caught in the control trap.

“Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things.” 1 Chronicles 29:11 NLT

When we're tempted to take control, let's remember this. God is over ALL things.

Reading the verse above makes me think of miracle stories in the Bible when God showed Himself powerful and sovereign in the lives of His people. Times like when He parted the Red Sea when the walls of Jericho came down, and when Sarah became pregnant in her old age.

But God’s greatness, power, glory, victory, and majesty apply to my everyday life too. Not just the big things, but the not-so-exciting moments as well. (Even stinky critter moments.) Remembering that God is over ALL things in our lives helps us cast our cares on Him, knowing He is the one in control.

Let Go Of The Need To Control

I stopped worrying about rodents in the walls. Instead, I chose to focus on God’s goodness. I praised Him for our home, which I’d forgotten to do in the midst of the chaos. And you know what? The problem ended. No more stink.

We don’t know how it happened, but we don’t need to know. This is God’s kingdom, and everything in it belongs to Him. When we remind ourselves of His sovereignty in our lives, we begin our journey of letting Him have control.

Hope from the Bible When We Can’t Find Motivation

In Psalm 52, David seems a little more than frustrated with a traitor who loved “lying more than speaking what is right.” (Psalm 52:3) But what captured my attention most about this psalm is how David described himself, as someone who trusted the Lord, no matter what. In spite of every hardship David endured under the hand of Saul, he chose to compare himself to an olive tree. And by looking at what that comparison means, we can find the motivation to keep going, even through dormant seasons.

Finding It Hard to Get Motivated?

The olive tree may seem like a strange choice for David in that situation, but what he needed was the hope to persevere when things were at their worst, or when life brought more bad news his way. Maybe we’ve all been feeling a little unmotivated lately, so let’s take a look at 3 characteristics of the olive plant that can give us hope to find our motivation once again.

1. The olive tree is resilient. The oldest olive trees in history lived to be between 3000 and 4000 years old. Even more remarkable, at this age they still bear a crop of fruit every year. These trees are a symbol of longevity and perseverance.

2. The olive tree is valuable. Every part of the tree is useful and desired. The fruit is used for food, the oil for cooking and light. The leaves are used for medicine, and even the wood is valued by wood-workers.

3. The olive tree is determined. When the olive tree is chopped close to the ground, it easily sprouts back.

Through every trial in his life, David relied on God to be his source, so he could continue moving forward. God’s mercy is constant and unchanging. When we count on his strength to endure, we too can find the motivation to keep going, and bloom when the time is right:)