We say we trust God. We quote Proverbs 3:5–6:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”
But if we’re honest, many of us are doing more leaning on our understanding than we admit. We often try to sit in God’s chair, crafting our own plans, and then asking Him to rubber-stamp them with His blessing.

How often do our prayers sound less like surrender and more like strategy meetings?

“God, Let Me In on the Plan.”

Many of us live like we’re entitled to God’s full blueprint. We forget that faith, by definition, involves the unseen (Hebrews 11:1).
We say, “I trust You,” but then we beg for full disclosure:

“Lord, show me exactly what You’re doing, when You’re doing it, and how it will all turn out.”

But God doesn’t always offer that level of detail—not because He’s withholding, but because He’s cultivating trust. Isaiah 55:8–9 reminds us:
“‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’”

Faith doesn’t require all the details. It requires trust in the One who holds them.

“God, Let Me Take the Wheel.”

Sometimes, we take action first and pray later, when the consequences catch up. We might even spiritualize it:

“I’m stepping out in faith.”
But were we really? Or were we stepping out in impatience?

Abraham and Sarah tried to “help” God by orchestrating a plan to fulfill His promise through Hagar (Genesis 16). The result? Generational strife. God’s promises don’t need human manipulation. They need patient trust.

“God, Bless My Mess.”

Even when we’ve gone our own way, God is merciful. But how often do we expect Him to bless decisions made without Him?

James 4:13–15 cautions us against presumption:
“Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city…’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow… Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.’”

Inviting God into our plans after they’ve failed isn’t the same as surrender. It’s triage. He may still redeem, but it’s far better to build with Him from the start.

Real Trust Looks Like Surrender

Trust is not passive—it’s deeply active. It looks like praying before deciding, seeking God’s heart before our own will, and obeying even when the path is unclear.

Psalm 37:5 puts it simply:
“Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.”

Let’s stop trying to get God on board with our plans. Let’s get on board with His.