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Have you ever stopped and wondered how peaceful your life would be if you had less to do? What if the things you’re trying to manage now were meant to be left in your last season? Maybe it’s time to release everything holding you back from living in freedom.

How do you know what to release? If you’re always stressed and overwhelmed, then it’s time to pay attention to the signs. When you find yourself on edge and unable to relax into your responsibilities, you owe it to yourself to get clear about what you should be carrying and what you should let go of. 

The hard part is that even if you have room in your schedule to take on one more thing, that doesn’t mean you’re being called to carry it out in this season. You have to ask yourself the important questions to determine where action is needed and how to surrender the rest to God. 

When I really want to get clear about what I’m being called to hold onto and what I’m being called to release, I follow my two-list rule. If you’re ready to experience peace in your life, then I have no doubt that it will help you too.

 

Here’s how you do it: Grab a piece of paper and a pen and list out all of your current responsibilities. Fold a second piece of paper down the middle and write “manage” on one side of the paper and “release” on the other side. Then, from your list of responsibilities, add the things you feel led to manage and release. On the back of the paper, write down one step you’ll take to either manage each task well or release it.

How do you know what to hold onto and what to let go? Here are a few questions to ask yourself.

You’ll know something is yours to carry if:

  • You have authority over it
  • You know what next step to take
  • You can take action even if you’re unsure of the outcome

You’ll want to release something if:

  • You’re trying to force an outcome
  • You don’t have the capacity to manage it in this season
  • It’s for someone else to respond to or heal from

Reflect on what you’ve added to your list and acknowledge the emotions that come up. Are you relieved to let some things go? Do you feel nervous about trusting God with the outcome of a situation? It may be hard to relinquish control over your life, but remember, you were never really in control in the first place. Bring your concerns and worries to the Father in prayer. Lean on your people: your husband, your good girlfriend, your small group. Get some accountability around you so that you don’t resort to doing things in your own strength.

Listen to this episode of the podcast to dive deeper into this practice of owning your obligations and casting your cares. You only have so much capacity. Manage what you can, release what you can’t, and trust that God will carry you through it all.

Highlights from Today’s Episode

  • Paying attention to your emotions
  • Allowing surrender and action to coexist
  • Letting God handle the outcome

Related Resources

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Other Stuff to Check Out

Let’s Talk!

  1. Out of all of your responsibilities, what has God given you the authority to manage in this season of your life?
  2. What have you been holding onto tightly that God is calling you to let go of?
  3. Is there an expected outcome that you struggle to trust God with? How can you practice releasing control in this area?

 

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