Why Is It So Hard to Give It to God?

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve heard (or said), “Just give it to God.” It sounds so easy, doesn’t it? Like handing off your car keys or dropping a heavy grocery bag. Just give it over. Let go. Let God. But if you’ve ever truly wrestled with worry, heartbreak, uncertainty, or loss—you know this “giving it to God” thing is not nearly as simple as the bumper stickers and coffee mugs make it out to be.

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. Maybe it’s because I’m juggling a dozen different things. Maybe it’s because life has felt heavier than usual. Or maybe it’s just because I'm human. But I keep asking myself: Why is it so hard to let go and trust God with the things that break me, scare me, or weigh me down?

Here’s the uncomfortable truth I keep coming back to: giving something to God means surrendering control. And most of us—especially people like me who are used to fixing, leading, doing, and managing—aren’t great at surrender. We’d rather carry the anxiety, obsess over the outcome, or try to orchestrate everything from behind the scenes than admit that we don’t have the power to solve it all.

It’s hard to hand things to God when we still think we can do it better. Or faster. Or neater. It’s hard to release our grip when we don’t like not knowing what’s next. And it’s especially hard when we’ve prayed, waited, and still feel like God is silent.

But here’s the thing. I’m slowly learning (emphasis on slowly) that trusting God isn’t about handing Him our burdens once and then walking away. It’s a daily decision. Sometimes hourly. It’s waking up and saying, “God, I don’t know how this will turn out, but I trust that You do. So here—take it again.”

It’s a choice to trust even when our circumstances scream otherwise. It’s reminding ourselves that God isn’t surprised by what’s happening. He’s not overwhelmed. He’s not scrambling for a plan B. And more than anything, He doesn’t expect us to be strong all the time—He asks us to be honest.

Maybe that’s where we start: with honesty. Not with perfect faith or polished prayers, but with a cracked voice and a simple “God, I don’t know how to let this go, but I want to.” That’s the beginning of surrender. That’s the start of peace.

So if you’re in a season where trusting feels impossible, I get it. You’re not alone. But don’t beat yourself up for struggling. Just take one step at a time. One prayer. One tear. One breath. Give Him the same burden again and again, if you have to. He’s not keeping score. He’s keeping you.

And that’s enough.

—Dr. Nick 💙