My granddaughter is three years old, almost four, and she has reached that delightful stage where independence has become her favourite achievement. Whether it is putting on her shoes, buckling a seatbelt, or opening a snack, the response is almost always the same: “I can do it by myself!” or “I want to do it by myself!” There is something both admirable and amusing about her determination. She is learning, growing, and discovering her abilities. Yet there are moments when her little hands simply cannot accomplish what she is attempting, and what could have been done in seconds becomes a struggle because she insists on doing it alone.
As I watched her recently, I realized that I am sometimes not so different. Spiritually, many of us outgrow childhood without outgrowing the desire for independence. We may never say the words “I can do it by myself” aloud, but our actions often declare, “God, I can handle this.” We rely on our own wisdom, devise our own plans, and attempt to carry burdens we were never meant to bear. From the beginning, humanity has wrestled with the temptation to live independently of God. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve sought autonomy rather than trusting God’s wisdom (Genesis 3:1–6). Their desire to determine right and wrong for themselves led not to freedom but to brokenness. Independence from God has never produced the life we imagine it will.
Scripture repeatedly calls us in the opposite direction. Proverbs 3:5–6 urges us to trust the Lord rather than leaning on our own understanding. Peter echoes this invitation when he writes, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you” (1 Peter 5:7). Surrender is not weakness; it is the recognition that our Heavenly Father sees what we cannot, knows what we do not, and loves us more than we can comprehend. Like a loving parent helping a child, God does not take over to diminish us but to guide, protect, and strengthen us. Jesus Himself modeled this dependence, praying, “Not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42).
“I can do it by myself.” Perhaps today you are trying to manage a situation entirely on your own. You have planned, worried, analyzed, and exhausted yourself, yet peace remains elusive. Your Heavenly Father is not asking you to prove your strength; He is inviting you to trust His. There is wisdom in admitting, “Lord, I cannot do this by myself.” The Christian life is not about becoming independent of God; it is about becoming increasingly dependent upon Him. Ironically, the greatest freedom is found not in self-reliance, but in surrender. When we place our lives into His hands, we discover that His plans are wiser than ours, His timing is better than ours, and His grace is always sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9). Praise the Lord.
Photo by Gareth Davies on Unsplash
