As a young father, I would often watch one of my sons getting downright angry while playing with a toy. He would get mad because things weren’t going “right.” The toy wasn’t doing what he wanted or working the way he thought it should.

I offered to help, which only seemed to make it worse. My son wanted to do it himself! I couldn’t help because he wouldn’t let me, and that frustrated me.

Flash forward another 30 years later, and I’m the grandfather watching my grandson get aggravated when his Lego pieces aren’t fitting together the way he wants. He’s mad, he cries, and I offer to help.

Does he let me help? No, he doesn’t want me to do it. I can’t help him, and it’s frustrating.

I just want them to give it over to me so that I can fix it. Parents do that willingly for their children out of love.

Our Heavenly Father faces the same challenges with us when we’re stuck. We want something to be fixed or changed in our life. We’re frustrated and angry, wishing things were different.

Do we ask for help? No!

I think sometimes we just like to complain. We don’t let go and give it over to God. I think we’re determined (at least I am too often) to “do it ourselves.”

If you step back and look at it objectively, we often want God to fix what we won’t let go of. But we have to let go so He can fix it for us.  How crazy is that?

I bet it’s frustrating for God, who wants to help. I can picture Him shaking His head saying, “Dale, Dale, let go. I love you; I’ll take care of this if you just trust me and give it to me.”

Can’t you picture God talking to you or me, saying something like this:

Dale (insert your name),

You’re not alone in this, I’m here with you through your troubles. I’ve assigned some angels with just the right expertise to help you with this challenge.

Trust me and please let go of the stress of trying to do it yourself.

When you do, I’ll take care of this for you in ways beyond what you might imagine … Even better than you could dream of.

He’s said words like this to us in many ways throughout Scripture. Please read a couple of my favorites:

Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. (Psalm 37: 4-5 ESV)

Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength,whose heart turns away from the Lord. He is like a shrub in the desert and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land. “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:5-8 ESV)

Stop trying to do it yourself. Let God help. Then sit back and watch his amazing power.