From Willpower to Willingness: Embracing God's Care

Devotional

Day 1: Admitting Our Powerlessness and Need for Help

Recognizing our own inability to manage every aspect of our lives is often the hardest step, especially in a culture that prizes self-sufficiency and willpower. Many of us have been taught to keep our heads down and handle everything ourselves, but the truth is that there are struggles, addictions, and deep problems that we simply cannot overcome on our own. Admitting this is not a sign of weakness, but the beginning of true spiritual growth and healing. When we confess our powerlessness, we open ourselves to the possibility of real change, because we stop pretending we can do it all and start seeking the help we truly need. [29:14]

Romans 7:18-19 (ESV)
"For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you have tried to “just handle it” on your own, but keep finding yourself stuck? Can you name it honestly before God today?

Day 2: Turning Our Lives Over to God’s Care

The journey of faith is not just about recognizing our limits, but about making a conscious decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as revealed in Jesus. This is not a one-time event, but a daily, sometimes moment-by-moment, act of surrender. It’s about willingness, not willpower—letting go of the illusion that we can fix ourselves and instead trusting the God who can do what we cannot. This surrender is freeing, not burdensome, because it places our hope in God’s strength rather than our own. [52:36]

Luke 22:41-42 (ESV)
"And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, 'Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.'"

Reflection: What is one specific decision or area of your life where you sense God inviting you to surrender control and trust Him today?

Day 3: The Futility of Willpower and the Freedom of Willingness

Trying to overcome our struggles through sheer willpower often leads to cycles of shame, frustration, and isolation. We scratch and claw, only to find ourselves back where we started, feeling even more defeated. But when we replace willpower with willingness—when we are simply open to God’s help and grace—we find a new kind of freedom. God does not ask us to be perfect, but to be willing: willing to turn to Him, willing to try again, willing to let Him do what we cannot. [41:58]

2 Corinthians 12:9 (ESV)
"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

Reflection: Where have you been relying on willpower and ending up in a shame spiral? What would it look like to practice willingness instead—inviting God into that struggle?

Day 4: God’s Faithfulness Despite Our Failures

Throughout Scripture, we see that even the greatest heroes of faith—Moses, Mary, the Israelites, and even Jesus in His humanity—faced moments of weakness, fear, and failure. Yet God remained faithful, inviting them to say “yes” again and again, no matter how many times they stumbled. Our failures do not disqualify us from God’s love or His purposes; instead, they become opportunities to depend on Him more deeply and to experience His grace anew. [57:53]

Lamentations 3:22-23 (ESV)
"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."

Reflection: Think of a time when you failed or fell short, but sensed God’s mercy meeting you there. How might you let His faithfulness encourage you to say “yes” to Him again today?

Day 5: Freedom and Transformation Through Surrender

True freedom is found not in striving harder, but in surrendering to the God who can do what we cannot. When we let go of the need to control and instead trust in God’s transforming power, we discover a life marked by peace, hope, and ongoing change. This is not about getting it right the first time, but about returning to God again and again, trusting that He is always there to carry what we cannot. [01:02:19]

Philippians 1:6 (ESV)
"And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ."

Reflection: What is one area where you long for transformation? How can you invite God to do His work in you, trusting that He will carry it through, even when you fall short?

Sermon Summary

Today’s focus is on the third step of the 12 Steps—a journey that began in the church and continues to offer profound wisdom for all who seek spiritual growth, not just those struggling with addiction. The first two steps are about recognition: admitting our own powerlessness over our deepest problems and coming to believe that a power greater than ourselves—God—can restore us. These are not easy admissions, especially in a culture that prizes self-sufficiency and willpower. Yet, the Christian life calls us to a different path: one of honest self-assessment and humble dependence.

Step three is the turning point: making a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as revealed in Jesus Christ. This is not about a one-time heroic act of surrender, but a continual willingness to let God do what we cannot. Too often, we try to muscle our way through our struggles with sheer willpower, only to find ourselves trapped in cycles of shame and failure. The invitation is to move from willpower to willingness—letting go of the illusion that we can fix ourselves and instead opening ourselves to God’s transforming grace.

This shift is not just theoretical; it’s deeply practical. Whether our struggles are dramatic or mundane, whether our “addictions” are obvious or hidden, the pattern is the same: willpower fails, shame grows, and isolation deepens. But willingness—saying “yes” to God, even imperfectly and repeatedly—opens the door to freedom and healing. The stories of Moses, Mary, and even Jesus in Gethsemane remind us that surrender is not weakness, but the very heart of faith. They show us that God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness, and that dependence on God is not a last resort, but the way of life itself.

The challenge is to recognize where we are still clinging to control, to name the places where willpower has failed us, and to practice the simple, courageous act of willingness. This is not a one-time event, but a daily, sometimes moment-by-moment, decision. In doing so, we find that God is always present, always able, and always ready to carry what we cannot.

Key Takeaways

1. **Willpower vs. Willingness:** The spiritual life is not about mustering up more willpower to overcome our struggles. Instead, it’s about cultivating willingness—a posture of openness and surrender to God’s care. Willpower often leads to shame and isolation, while willingness leads to freedom and transformation. [41:58]
2. The Cycle of Shame: When we fail to live up to our own standards or the perceived expectations of faith, we often spiral into shame. This shame is compounded by repeated attempts to “do better” on our own, which rarely succeed and only deepen our sense of failure. Recognizing this cycle is the first step toward breaking it and embracing God’s grace. [47:32]
3. Dependence is Not Defeat: The stories of Moses, Mary, and Jesus reveal that dependence on God is not a sign of weakness, but of wisdom and faith. Each faced impossible situations and responded not with self-reliance, but with a willingness to trust God with what they could not control. This pattern is at the heart of the Christian journey. [57:53]
4. Surrender is Ongoing: Turning our will and lives over to God is not a one-time event, but a continual process. We may find ourselves taking back control, failing, and needing to surrender again. God’s invitation is always open, and each act of willingness is met with grace, not condemnation. [52:36]
5. Freedom in Letting Go: True freedom is found not in self-mastery, but in letting go of what we cannot handle and entrusting it to God. This is the paradox of the gospel: in losing our lives, we find them; in surrender, we discover strength; in admitting our need, we encounter God’s sufficiency. [62:19]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[25:04] - The Mystery of Faith and Healing
[29:14] - Steps One and Two: Recognition
[38:43] - Personal Story: The Limits of Willpower
[41:58] - From Willpower to Willingness
[44:29] - The Cycle of Shame
[45:12] - Naming Our Shame Spirals
[47:32] - Hidden Struggles and Repeated Failures
[49:45] - The Trap of Condemnation
[52:36] - The Practice of Willingness
[54:14] - Moses: Surrender and Failure
[56:56] - Mary’s Yes and the Cost of Surrender
[58:57] - Jesus in Gethsemane: Not My Will
[62:19] - Freedom in Surrender
[66:13] - Communion: Remembering God’s Strength
[67:34] - Resources and Journal Prompts
[83:51] - Closing Prayer and Benediction

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Luke 22:39-42 (ESV) — > And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”

Exodus 3:1-12 (ESV) — > (Read the story of Moses and the burning bush, focusing on Moses’ reluctance and God’s call.)

Luke 1:26-38 (ESV) — > (Read the story of the angel Gabriel visiting Mary, focusing on her response: “Let it be to me according to your word.”)

Observation Questions

In Luke 22:39-42, what does Jesus pray for in the garden, and how does he express both his desire and his willingness to surrender?
According to the sermon, what is the difference between “willpower” and “willingness”? ([41:58])
What are some examples from the sermon of people in the Bible who faced situations they could not control on their own? ([54:14])
What cycle does the sermon describe that happens when we try to use willpower to fix our problems? ([44:29])

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think Jesus, even knowing God’s plan, still prayed for another way in the garden? What does this show us about surrender? ([58:57])
The sermon says that dependence on God is not defeat, but wisdom and faith. How does this challenge common ideas about strength and weakness? ([57:53])
Why is it so hard for people to admit their own powerlessness or need for help, according to the sermon? ([29:14])
How does the pattern of “willpower fails, shame grows, and isolation deepens” play out in real life, and why is willingness a better alternative? ([44:29])

Application Questions

The sermon asked everyone to write down “willpower” and then scratch it out, replacing it with “willingness.” What is one area of your life where you keep trying to use willpower but keep failing? What would it look like to practice willingness there instead? ([41:58])
Think about a struggle or habit you’ve tried to fix on your own. How has that led to shame or isolation? What would it mean to invite God into that struggle today? ([44:29])
The stories of Moses, Mary, and Jesus all involve saying “yes” to God in hard situations. Is there something God might be asking you to surrender or trust him with right now? What fears come up when you consider letting go of control? ([56:56])
The sermon says surrender is not a one-time event, but a daily, sometimes moment-by-moment decision. What is one practical way you can remind yourself to turn your will and life over to God this week? ([52:36])
When you fail or take back control after surrendering, how do you usually respond? How can you remind yourself that God’s invitation is always open and that each act of willingness is met with grace, not condemnation? ([52:36])
The sermon described the “cycle of shame” that comes from repeated failure. What steps can you take to break that cycle and embrace God’s grace instead? ([47:32])
What is one specific prayer or action you can take this week to move from willpower to willingness in your relationship with God? ([01:07:34])

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