Fear, Control, and the Paradox of Rest and Excellence

Fear has a sneaky way of dressing itself up as responsibility. It whispers, If you just hold everything together, everything will be okay. It convinces us that if we keep both hands on the wheel—white-knuckled, scanning for danger, running every possible “what if” scenario—we can somehow steer our way into safety.

But here’s the problem: fear doesn’t just want to keep you safe. Fear wants to control you. And when fear runs the show, you start believing that everything is on your shoulders—your family’s future, your reputation, the outcome of every conversation, the success of every dream. You start living as if the weight of the world depends on you never making a mistake.

That’s where perfectionism sneaks in. Perfectionism says, You can’t rest until it’s flawless. You can’t stop until every detail is airtight. You can’t be at peace until every possible risk is removed. And without even realizing it, we start striving for the illusion of control rather than living from the reality of God’s love.

But Jesus offers us a paradox—one that feels upside down to our natural instincts. He says, Come to Me… and I will give you rest. Not come to Me after you’ve figured it out. Not come to Me when you’ve perfected it. Just come.

And here’s where it gets even more counterintuitive: surrender to God doesn’t cancel out excellence. Partnering with God doesn’t mean we stop creating beautiful things, or striving toward meaningful goals, or offering our best. In fact, true excellence flows more freely when our identity and worth aren’t riding on the outcome.

There’s a Hebrew word—Avodah—that holds this tension beautifully. It means both “work” and “worship.” In God’s design, they were never meant to be separated. Your art, your teaching, your leadership, your parenting—when done in partnership with Him—can be both productive and holy. It’s not working instead of resting or resting instead of working. It’s working from rest.

This is the paradox:

• We lay down control, but we step into Spirit-led excellence.

• We stop striving for approval, but we start creating from abundance.

• We surrender the outcome, but we invest fully in the process.

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And the joy? It’s found in the freedom that comes when you realize it’s not all on you. You’re not the author of the story—you’re a co-creator with the One who already wrote the ending. You don’t have to control the results, because the resurrection of Jesus has already secured the victory.

The power that raised Him from the grave is the same power alive in you today. That means your life’s work—every word you speak, every brushstroke, every decision, every act of service—can be infused with life, beauty, and purpose that isn’t dependent on your flawless performance.

So maybe the question isn’t, How can I hold on tighter? but rather, Where am I still trying to control what God has already conquered?

A Prayer of Release

Lord, I confess that fear has sometimes masqueraded as wisdom in my life. I’ve held on too tightly, believing I could keep everything safe if I just tried hard enough. Today, I choose to surrender. I lay down the illusion of control and take up the peace You offer. Teach me how to work from a place of rest, to create with You instead of for approval, to pursue excellence without striving for perfection. May the power of Your resurrection be alive in my heart, my mind, and my hands. Let my life’s work be an act of worship. I set my eyes on You—the Author and Perfecter of my faith. Amen.

Scripture to Hold Onto

“The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you.”— Romans 8:11