Letting Go of the Leash: Trusting the Spirit When You Can't Control the Outcome

Brothers and sisters, if there’s one thing the Spirit has taught me since I returned—if there’s one thing that feels like a daily realignment of my own heart—it’s the difference between *trying* to control things and truly *trusting* the Lord.

We are taught to be diligent, to prepare, to study, and to feel the prompting to act. We want to check every box: study the scriptures, keep up with our *missionary preparation*, attend every meeting, and feel like we’ve done enough to earn the next blessing. It’s natural, right? We want the plan to work, and we want *our* plan to work.

But sometimes, the path the Lord lays out—the path that requires us to let go of the reins—feels terrifyingly unstructured. It feels like the opposite of what we trained for in the MTC, where every step is guided by a curriculum and a set of expectations. It feels like chaos.

I was reflecting recently on a talk that spoke directly to this tension: the impulse to control everything because the unknown feels too big, too scary. It’s so easy to look at a difficult situation—whether it’s a challenging *missionary discussion*, a tough family dynamic, or even just the uncertainty of the next quarter—and feel the urge to build a perfect little contingency plan that accounts for every single variable.

The Illusion of Control

We are masters of planning. We organize our time, we study our scriptures, we even map out our service expectations. And while preparation is vital—and I encourage you all to keep up with your *Iron Rod* reading—there comes a point where the map ends, and you are standing in the wilderness, waiting for the next guiding light.

The message I took away was profound: what we don't trust, we will try to control. And when we are trying to control the outcome—when we are trying to manage the feelings, the people, or the timeline—we are often exhausting ourselves in a way that doesn't feel Christlike.

Think about the stories of faith. Think about David, who was constantly running, constantly reacting, constantly needing to trust a promise when his immediate circumstances screamed the opposite. He had to learn to trust the Lord’s timing, even when the immediate evidence pointed toward failure or confrontation.

Finding Strength in Surrender

This isn't about apathy, understand. It’s not about sitting back and doing nothing. It’s about doing the work—the diligent, faithful work that the gospel requires—but doing it with the *spirit* of surrender. It’s recognizing that our best efforts, combined with the Atonement of Jesus Christ, are more than enough.

This week, as you are out in your own respective fields—whether you are in your own home, studying for a *Book Club*, or serving as an *internet missionary*—I invite you to try a small exercise. When you feel that familiar tightening in your chest, that urge to list out every 'if' and 'then' scenario, pause. Take a breath, and whisper a simple prayer of surrender. Don't pray for the outcome; pray for the strength to trust the One who knows the outcome.

The Lord doesn't need us to have all the answers; He just needs us to keep showing up, keeping our faith alive, and keeping our hearts humble.

If this message resonated with you, I encourage you to share it with someone who might be wrestling with control right now. And if you want to dig deeper into the mechanics of trusting the Spirit, I highly recommend checking out the latest insights on the *Social Scripture Study* layer in LivingBook—there are some wonderful discussions happening there right now!

For those of you who are feeling the pull toward deeper study, we are hosting a virtual *Bible Study Group* next week. Details are in the community announcement board!