But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” (NIV)

As you know by now, the Devo Team has been writing about the “post-it note” responses fellow brothers and sisters wrote after a time in prayer last spring. The post-it note prayer response for today is: “Release the white-knuckle grip on your own life. Give the reins to me.”

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This is an actual response to a prayer. Does it seem to be an answer by God? If so, you know as much as I know, so let's dive a little deeper…

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First the good news. Well, more like the fantastic news. Well, actually the “shout it to the heavens” joyful, feel-good, raise your arms in celebration news – Someone was praying! That means someone was obedient. And then that someone got an answer, an answer from the Creator of the universe. That's the Holy Spirit in action, and we are witnesses. How awesome is that?

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I imagine we all could come up with our own prayer that would generate this answer from our Father. There are many possibilities and honestly, the content of the prayer doesn't really matter. The answer, however, is life changing. But if you're like me, doesn't that answer sound sort of, well, trite? It's something easy to say but hard to abide by. It is for me, and if you agree, have you ever wondered why that is?

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We are made in God's image (Gen 1:26). God doesn't worry, doubt, or fear. So, if that's the case, why would we want to keep a white-knuckled grip on our life in the first place? It's a complex subject, but the answer is easy: sin. Because sin entered the world, we worry, doubt, and fear. It's a fact in our fallen world. So, if this is something you struggle with, I guarantee, you are not alone. If “misery loves company,” then take comfort in not being alone in your struggle. But knowing why we are who we are is only the beginning of understanding. How can we walk through life abiding by the answer?

I prayed and listened to come up with an answer to this question. I'm not saying that mine is the only answer, but it did come to me through prayer; thus, I attribute it to the Holy Spirit. I can also affirm this answer biblically and with my own personal experience. I hope it helps you.

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A year ago, I was as faithless as Peter in today's verse. I had sunk deep in dark troubled waters. No way would I be writing a devo a year later, but here I am. How? Well first I turned to God's life instruction book. The Bible is rife with verses on how God takes the reins to give you rest (Matt 11:28), provide for you (Matt 6:25), encourage you (Jas 1:2), give you just what you need (Ps 23:1), equip you (Phil 4:13), and much more. These are all life-giving verses, but I confess that as deep underwater as I was, I found it impossible to believe these truths. I could not let God take the reins, no matter how much I wanted to do so.

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Then I remembered Brother Lawrence’s writings in The Practice of the Presence of God. In it he shares how he learned to experience God in everything he did. Everything. Even washing dishes.

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So, I began my recovery by being thankful for the simple act of breathing. We're talking basics here. Then I added on: the ability to walk, to make the bed, to have easy access to God's Word. To make a long recovery story short, here I am a year later writing devos and serving on the Prayer Team. Thanks be to God!

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My fallen world troubles haven't ceased (in fact, they've gotten worse), but my ability to cope with them completely changed when I first gave thanks in everything. I did my best to die to my pride, then first and foremost give thanks in every situation to a loving Father who is my champion in every situation. The more I gave thanks, the more I could “let go and let God.”

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The Apostle Paul repeatedly says to give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thess 5:18, Eph 5:20, Col 3:17). The oft quoted Philippians 4:6 says to pray with thanksgiving. Colossians 4:2 says to devote yourself to prayer, being watchful and thankful. There are many more verses affirming the life-changing importance of giving thanks.

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I've got a long way to go yet, and I stumble often but like Brother Lawrence, I'm “practicing.” So, I encourage you to “practice” too. Give thanks for the breath you just took, the bird you just saw, the bill you just paid, the difficult co-worker, the health issue you're facing, the...

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I believe the more you practice giving thanks, the more you will be able to “release the white-knuckle grip on your own life and give the reins to Him.”

Father, thank you for being present in everything, everywhere. With my new eyes, what I once saw as mundane, I now see as miraculous. May my first thought in every circumstance be of you. May I give you thanks always and in everything. May I practice seeing your presence until I see you in person. Thank you, Father, for taking the reins. In Jesus’ name, amen.