Letting God Work: Trust, Obedience, and Grace

So often in life, we find ourselves wanting to take control, to direct our own paths, and to build our own empires—whether in our careers, families, or even our spiritual lives. Yet, just as I would never presume to tell a doctor how to treat a patient or a chef how to cook my meal, we must learn to let God do what only He can do. The story of the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11:1-9 is a powerful reminder of the dangers of pride and the importance of trusting God’s direction over our own ambitions. The people of Babel sought to make a name for themselves, to build something great apart from God, and in doing so, they ignored His clear command to spread out and fill the earth. Their fear of obedience and desire for self-glory led them to resist God’s will, and ultimately, God had to intervene—not out of spite, but out of mercy and grace.

Trusting God means allowing Him to build us up in His timing, not ours. It means humbling ourselves, listening for His direction, and resisting the urge to “pry things out of His hands” before the proper time. Obedience can be frightening, especially when it means stepping into the unknown or letting go of our own plans. But God’s commands are always for our good, and He has proven Himself trustworthy time and again. The scattering at Babel was not just a punishment, but an act of grace—God disrupting human pride before it could lead to even greater evil and suffering. In our own lives, God’s disruptions—His redirections, His “no’s,” and even His discipline—are often the very things that save us from ourselves.

We must recognize that God’s mercy is not a reward for good behavior, but a shaping force in our lives. He does not give us everything we desire, nor does He punish us as we deserve. Instead, He comes down to us, as He did in Christ, to rescue, guide, and transform us. The challenge is to let go of pride, to trust in His grace, and to allow Him to work in us, even when it means being disrupted or humbled. There will be no rival to God in our hearts; Babylon will not win. Our choice is simple: will we try to make our own name great, or will we humble ourselves and let God make us into what He desires? Through Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit, we are empowered to choose trust, obedience, and surrender.

Key Takeaways

• 1. True humility is letting God be the center of our story, not ourselves. Pride is not just arrogance, but the subtle decision to put our desires and ambitions above God’s will. When we insist on building our own “towers,” we risk missing out on the greater story God wants to write through us. Humility is the soil in which God’s work flourishes, and it begins with surrender. [12:25]
• 2. Obedience to God often requires us to step into the unknown, letting go of our fears and “what ifs.” The people of Babel were paralyzed by the fear of what might happen if they obeyed God’s command to scatter. In our lives, fear can keep us clinging to the familiar, but faith means trusting that God will catch us when we let go. Obedience is not always comfortable, but it is always the path to God’s best for us. [23:26]
• 3. God’s disruptions in our plans are often acts of mercy and grace, not punishment. When God scattered the people at Babel, He was preventing them from pursuing a path that would have led to greater evil and suffering. In our own lives, the times when God says “no” or redirects us are often the very moments He is protecting and shaping us for something better. We must learn to see His interruptions as gifts, not obstacles. [29:20]
• 4. God’s grace is seen not only in the blessings He gives, but also in the punishments He withholds. If we received everything we ever wanted—or every consequence we ever deserved—we would not be in a good place. God’s mercy is active, shaping us, humbling us, and leading us toward Christlikeness. The gospel is not about us building our way up to God, but about God coming down to us in Jesus. [31:10]
• 5. There will be no rival to God’s place in our lives; He alone is worthy of our trust and obedience. Babylon, throughout Scripture, represents the human attempt to rival God, but it is always ultimately defeated. We must choose daily whether we will seek our own glory or God’s, whether we will trust in our own strength or surrender to His. Through Christ and the Spirit, we are empowered to let God work in us, making His name great through our lives. [33:23]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:56] - Knowing When to Stay in Your Lane
• [02:38] - Letting God Work in Our Lives
• [04:19] - The Command to Scatter and Human Disobedience
• [06:13] - The Context of Babel and Babylon
• [08:32] - The Rise of Human Empire and Pride
• [10:12] - The Heart of the Tower: Self-Glory
• [12:25] - Pride: The Center of Our Story
• [14:17] - The Importance of Humility and Listening
• [16:15] - Trusting God’s Timing vs. Forcing Our Way
• [18:49] - The Fear of Obedience
• [21:42] - The “Let Go” Illustration
• [25:21] - Recognizing God’s Mercy and Grace
• [28:17] - God’s Disruption as Grace
• [31:10] - The Gospel: God Comes Down
• [33:23] - No Rival to God in Our Lives
• [34:49] - Prayer and Closing

Bible Reading

Genesis 11:1-9 (ESV) — Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.” And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built. And the Lord said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech.” So the Lord dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth. And from there the Lord dispersed them over the face of all the earth.

1 Peter 5:6 (ESV) — Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (ESV) — For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.

Observation Questions

1. According to Genesis 11:4, what was the main motivation behind the people’s desire to build the tower?
2. In the sermon, what did the pastor say was noticeably absent from the people’s building project at Babel? [10:51]
3. What did God do in response to the people’s actions, and what reason did He give for doing it? (Genesis 11:6-9)
4. How does 1 Peter 5:6 connect to the idea of letting God “build us up” in His timing? [17:02]

Interpretation Questions

1. The people of Babel wanted to “make a name for themselves.” What does this reveal about their hearts and their relationship with God? How does this relate to the definition of pride given in the sermon? [12:25]
2. The sermon described God’s scattering of the people as an act of mercy and grace, not just punishment. Why might God’s “disruptions” in our lives be for our good? [29:20]
3. The pastor mentioned that obedience to God can be frightening, especially when it means stepping into the unknown. Why do you think fear often keeps us from obeying God? [23:26]
4. According to the sermon, what is the difference between using our minds to trust God and using God to get what we want? [16:15]

Application Questions

1. The people of Babel were motivated by a desire for self-glory and control. In what areas of your life do you find yourself wanting to “make a name for yourself” or take control instead of trusting God? What would it look like to surrender those areas? [10:36]
2. The pastor shared a story about needing to listen to others’ directions rather than relying on his own experience. Can you think of a recent time when you ignored God’s direction (or wise counsel) and ended up “at the wrong church,” so to speak? What did you learn from that experience? [14:17]
3. Obedience to God often means stepping into the unknown. Is there something God is asking you to do right now that feels risky or uncomfortable? What fears are holding you back, and how can you trust God to “catch you” if you let go? [23:26]
4. The sermon said that God’s “no’s” and redirections are often acts of mercy. Can you identify a time when God disrupted your plans, and looking back, you now see it as His grace? How did that experience shape you? [29:20]
5. The pastor said, “If I had everything I ever wished for or desired, I probably would not be in a good place right now.” What are some things you once desperately wanted that, in hindsight, would not have been good for you? How does this help you trust God’s wisdom today? [30:08]
6. 1 Peter 5:6 calls us to humble ourselves so God can lift us up in His timing. What is one practical way you can practice humility this week—at work, at home, or in your spiritual life? [17:02]
7. The sermon closed by reminding us that through Christ and the Holy Spirit, we are empowered to choose trust, obedience, and surrender. What is one step you can take this week to let God work in you, rather than trying to “pry things out of His hands”? [17:52]