God’s Timing – Letting Go, Trusting Fully, and Walking by Faith

Hey friends, welcome back! If you’re anything like me, time is flyingggg by, and I can’t believe we’re already in March. But honestly, I’m not complaining because that means Spring is right around the corner, and I can finally start working on my tan. Which, let’s be real, is good for my sanity—and probably for my husband’s too, because I’m sure he’s over me asking when we can move to Florida (can you blame me, though?).

Also, the fact that baby VanV will be here in about 10 weeks is absolutely mind-blowing. Moms, if you’ve got advice for a first-time mama, now is the time to drop it because I am all ears.

Last episode, we talked about getting married young—the stigma around it, how to know if you’re ready, and what biblical marriage actually looks like. Honestly, preparing for that one was harder than I expected, not because there wasn’t enough to say, but because there was almost too much to say. Marriage is a lifelong journey, and we’ll definitely be revisiting it in future episodes. Whether you're single, dating, or engaged, building a biblical foundation now is so important because that foundation is what carries you into each new season.

This week, we’re shifting gears and diving into submitting to God’s plan—what that actually means, the struggles that come with it, and the steps to get there. If I’m being honest, we do not have this figured out. We wrestle with it all the time. But looking back, it’s always crazy to see how faithful God has been, even in the moments when we didn’t understand what He was doing.

Letting Go: How Pride Can Keep Us from Seeing God’s Plan

The first step to truly submitting to God’s plan is letting go. And most of the time, that starts with surrendering our pride. Pride is sneaky. It creeps into our hearts in ways we don’t always recognize—making us hesitant, selfish, or desperate for control. I feel convicted about this constantly because pride tells us we know best. But real wisdom begins with fearing the Lord (Proverbs 9:10).

Pride makes us resistant to change, reluctant to surrender, and slow to trust—even when God's way is better. We hold onto control because we’re scared of losing something good, but in reality, we’re keeping ourselves from experiencing God’s best.

A perfect example of this is the Rich Young Ruler in Mark 10:17-27. He wanted to follow Jesus, but he couldn’t let go of his own plans. Letting go doesn’t mean we sit back and do nothing—it means we actively surrender to God’s control. James 4:10 reminds us, "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up." Even Jesus, in His hardest moment, prayed in Luke 22:42, "Not my will, but Yours be done."

Pride shows up in subtle ways:

• Feeling like we need to have everything figured out

• Comparing our timeline to someone else’s

• Resisting change because it doesn’t fit our plan

• Trying to “help” God make things happen (hello, Sarah & Hagar in Genesis 16!)

But when we surrender, we make room for God to work in ways we never expected.

Trusting Fully: What Does Trusting God Look Like?

The second step to submitting to God’s plan is trusting Him completely. And let's be real—how many times have we heard “just trust God” without actually knowing what that means?

A few weeks ago, I had a full-on breakdown. My mind was spinning—We’re having a baby. We will soon need a new car. We still have student loans. How are we ever going to afford all of this? The stress was real.

Then, God convicted me about tithing. My husband and I had decided to start tithing again in February, but when the time came, I hesitated. I felt like we couldn’t afford it, like that money needed to go somewhere else.

Finally, on literally the last day of the month, I paid our tithe—and immediately felt peace (and a little conviction). I had been holding onto earthly things that could be taken away in seconds. Remember Job? He lost everything—his wealth, his health, his family. And yet, his response in Job 1:21 was, “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” Job’s story is a powerful reminder that nothing we have is truly ours—it all belongs to God.

Trusting God as Jehovah-Jireh, our Provider, means recognizing that He is the source of everything we need. When we cling to temporary things, we’re putting our faith in what can disappear instead of in the One who never fails. But when we release that control and trust Him fully, we get to experience a peace that money—and anything else in this world—could never give.

How to Know What’s from God and What’s Not

One question we got about this topic was: "How do you know if something is from God or not?"

The simplest answer? God’s will never contradicts His Word. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 reminds us that Scripture is our guide. If something is leading to anxiety, doubt, or chaos, it might not be from Him (1 Corinthians 14:33).

A few practical ways to discern His voice:

• Does it align with Scripture? (God will never contradict His own Word.)

• Does it bring peace or pressure? (Philippians 4:6-7)

• Are you seeking godly counsel? (Proverbs 11:14)

One of the hardest things for me is when both options seem good, but I still don’t have clear direction. The best advice I got was:

"Sailor, sometimes the Lord gives you a few options and will just be with you whatever you decide."

Not in a "do whatever you want" kind of way, but more like, "Lord, I'm taking a bold step on this path—be with me, guide me, and if this isn’t from You, make it clear."

Even when we don’t understand the timing, His plan is always perfect.

Walking by Faith: The Action Part of Trust

The last step in submitting to God’s plan is walking in faith.

Faith isn’t passive—it requires action. James 2:17 says, "Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." Abraham obeyed before he knew the full plan (Hebrews 11:8). Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us to "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding."

Fear Paralyzes. Faith Propels.

Delayed obedience is still disobedience. Look at Jonah—he ran from God’s call, but when he finally obeyed, revival broke out in Nineveh. Small steps of obedience lead to a life of bold faith. When fear screams, we have to listen to God’s whisper instead. 2 Timothy 1:7 reminds us, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind."

Faith isn’t the absence of fear; it’s choosing to move forward despite it.

God’s timing doesn’t always make sense, but His plan is always better. When we let go of pride, trust Him fully, and walk by faith, we get to experience the fullness of His purpose for our lives.

And here’s the thing: We won’t always know the outcome of our obedience.

I mean, do you think Abraham thought his obedience to sacrifice Isaac would become one of the most powerful stories of faith ever told? Probably not.

We don’t obey because we know the outcome. We obey because God is perfect and all-knowing. Anything else? That’s just pride getting in the way.