These words by C.S. Lewis, from his book Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer, remind us that life must be lived one day at a time. We cannot embrace today’s challenges with yesterday’s faith. Each sunrise offers us an opportunity to consciously choose to trust God in that new day. 

Humans, however, seem to have short memories. It is so easy for us to forget past blessings when we are confronted with new sources of anxiety. Sadly, our natural default setting tends to be one of self-reliance. We are often overwhelmed by the burden of dealing on our own with the difficulties which arise in our lives, even though, deep down inside, we know that God is available to help us with any challenges we might encounter.

I’ve received a number of positive responses to a quote I used in my blog post on Friday, June 5th. Many readers can relate to the question posed by author Corrie Ten Boom, who asked, “Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?” It seems that we are comfortable with turning to God in times of crisis (like the spare tire in the trunk of our car), yet we don’t capitalize on the opportunity to allow God to consistently direct us, to guide us, to lead us through our day-to-day activities. We believe that we can handle things on our own — and often it seems that we can. In reality, however, when we allow God to direct our lives, when we humble ourselves enough to surrender to God’s loving care, life is so much more manageable. 

The popular phrase “Let go; let God” is not evidence of hopelessness or resignation on our part. It’s not about our giving up due to frustration or apathy. “Let go; let God” is about surrendering ourselves to the love of God. It’s about acknowledging that, in many circumstances, we are powerless to change a situation, or a person. Our reliance on a higher power is not a sign of weakness, it’s an act of faith — total and complete faith. It’s acknowledging that God wants what is best for us, even when we might not know exactly what that might be.  

From our earliest days, we are encouraged to “deal with it” when difficult situations arise. We are often praised for our self-reliance if we are able to handle crisis situations on our own, without the intervention of others. Yes, this can be a good thing. Yet, as we get older, we come to realize that there are times when we simply don’t have the ability or tools to respond to a particular situation effectively. These may be challenges caused by our own words or decisions, or they might be the result of the actions or provocations of others. In either case, we can easily find ourselves feeling powerless and overwhelmed. 

As I mentioned, reliance on God is an act of faith, one which allows us to acknowledge our vulnerabilities and personal limitations. Only when we are willing to do so can we experience the serenity we so desperately seek in life.