This week, my house has felt out of control. My mind has been stretched thin between the kids’ activities, the piles of laundry, the never-ending dishes, the swirl of commitments, and let’s be honest, the doom piles I have created when trying to gain control over it all. Chaos doesn’t just live in my schedule—it seeps into my spirit.
I keep thinking that if I could just get control—get more organized, stay on top of everything, manage it all perfectly—then peace would follow. But the truth is that the control I’m chasing is shaped more by society’s expectations than God’s. Somewhere along the way, I let the world define what my “perfect” life should look like instead of resting in the life God has already outlined through His Word.
A Biblical Look at Trust
As I studied today, I was reminded of the Hebrew word for trust—בָּטַח (batach). It doesn’t mean muscling through or clinging tighter. It paints a picture of lying down, making yourself vulnerable, and choosing surrender.
That’s hard when everything in me wants to tighten my grip on the schedule, the house, and the image of being “in control.” But the invitation of batach is to release control and rest in God’s faithfulness.
“Trust (בָּטַח) in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”
This kind of trust is not passive—it’s active surrender. It’s saying, “God, I don’t have to run the world. That’s Your job.”
A Biblical Look at Praise
Then there’s praise. The Hebrew gives us several layers here:
- הָלַל (halal) – to boast, to shine forth, to make much of God. This is where we get “hallelujah.”
- יָדָה (yadah) – to give thanks, to praise with outstretched hands, a posture of openness and release.
- תְּהִלָּה (tehillah) – a song of praise, the kind that rises from the deepest places.
What struck me is how praise, like trust, requires surrender. To praise God is to lift my eyes off the chaos and onto Him. It’s to say, “My hands are open. My voice is Yours. My circumstances don’t get the final word—You do.”
“I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise will always be on my lips.”
This word study tool is a great resource for examining these Hebrew words in more depth.
The Parallel of Trust and Praise
Trust (batach) and praise (halal, yadah, tehillah) meet simultaneously: surrender. Both ask me to lay down what I cannot control and acknowledge the One who can.
The irony is that I often think control will give me peace, but it never does. Instead, in the moments I release control—when I trust God and praise Him—my mind actually finds rest.
A Different Picture of “Perfect”
Society tells us the perfect life is the clean house, the perfectly balanced schedule, the well-rounded kids, and the curated image of having it all together.
But Scripture tells us the perfect life is already defined in Christ:
- Micah 6:8 → Walk humbly with Him.
- John 15:4–5 → Abide in His love.
- Jeremiah 29:11 → Trust His plans.
- Romans 12:1 → Offer our lives as worship.
It’s not about saying “no” to everything or cutting back until my calendar is empty. It’s about choosing who sets the standard for my peace—society or my Savior.
An Invitation to Let Go
So here’s my invitation (and my challenge) to you, just as I’m reminding myself: Take a moment today to let go. Whisper a prayer of surrender. Lift your hands in praise, even if the house is messy and the schedule feels heavy.
Trust (בָּטַח) and praise (הָלַל, יָדָה, תְּהִלָּה) are not just spiritual words—they are lifelines. They teach us that peace doesn’t come from control, but from surrender.
And maybe, just maybe, that surrender is the doorway into the life of peace Christ promised us all along.
Pressed For Time 