Trusting God: Reluctant Resignation or Joyful Choice?

Do you trust God because you have no choice or because you choose to? Does God’s sovereignty—His powerful, authoritative control— mean you have to trust Him?

I recently experienced a breakthrough during my quiet time. The most surprising thing about it is that I didn’t know I needed a breakthrough. Maybe you can relate.

My daily quiet time with the Lord includes a devotional reading of Scripture, expressions of praise and gratitude, and prayer requests. The appeals are grouped, including requests for myself, family, and friends. Entreaties for health challenges and marriages. Requests for loved ones to experience restoration and intimacy with the Savior who died for them. Appeals for those I serve with at church and in the Bible study I teach. And entreaties for comfort for those who have lost loved ones. I even have a miscellaneous list.

One recent morning, as I opened the list of my own requests: requests for my health, safety, finances, writing, and decisions about the future, I tumbled into a trap. It sounded something like this:

Okay, Lord, here’s the list, yet again. You’re sovereign, and therefore I know You will allow or do what You know is best. Whatever will happen, will happen, whether it’s regarding the outcome of yet another impending surgery, safety, a potential move, or the possible recurrence of cancer. So I don’t need to pray about these things. I’ll just trust You. After all, Psalm 31:15 (NASB) does say, “My times are in Your hand.”

That’s when I realized the subtle trap I had fallen into. After years of trusting—and teaching others to trust—had I arrived at a crossroads? Am I now trusting God because I have no choice since He’s in control anyway? After all, He is sovereign, so I’ll just resign myself to whatever happens. Or am I trusting God because I choose to?

Bottom line: Does my trust flow from reluctant resignation or joyful anticipation?

Which best describes my level of trust in my heavenly Father?

I have to trust Him.

I want to trust Him.

I get to trust Him.

Such a powerful reminder that prayer is not about trusting Him for answers because I have to or even because I say I want to. As a child of God through faith in Christ, prayer and trust are privileges I get to experience. Not because I am resigned to the fact that He will do whatever He wants. Rather, it’s because when I lay my requests before Him, He allows me to see my life from His perspective. And when I do, my trust grows into joyful anticipation.

How about you? Would you say your trust is reluctant resignation or a joyful choice?