After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’”

When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”
Acts 21:10-14

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There was a time when I lived with a constant undercurrent of anxiety. I was overcommitted and overwhelmed. I thought I was doing the right thing, being helpful and faithful. But deep down, I was driven by fear: fear of disappointing people, of missing out, of not doing “enough” for God.

Then one day, I reached my limit. I had taken on too much again and felt like I was drowning. In desperation, I prayed, “Lord, what do You want me to let go of?” His answer was simple: “Everything I didn’t ask you to carry. Control what you can control. It’s OK to say ‘No.’ It’s OK to take time to rest. And it’s OK to schedule time to do something you want to do! Most importantly, give all your worries to Me.”

That moment marked the beginning of a shift. I started with surrendering my worries, and they were aplenty! It was hard, but the relief was immediate. I felt peace where anxiety had lived. And that one act of surrender opened the door to more. I began to ask God, What do You want in this area?—my time, my relationships, my future. Each surrender brought more peace. Less anxiety. More trust.

In today’s passage, Paul is warned by the prophet Agabus that danger awaits him in Jerusalem. His friends plead with him not to go. But Paul, fully surrendered, responds: “I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” His surrender is so deep, so rooted in trust, that not even the threat of death deters him. And when his companions see his resolve, they say something powerful: “The Lord’s will be done.”

That’s the moment that struck me—the total surrender. Once Paul made peace with God’s will, others noticed and they stopped resisting too. They surrendered to God’s will and found peace in obedience.

For me, the more I surrendered to God’s will in small areas, the more I could trust Him in bigger ones. I didn’t have to control everything; I just had to follow. That realization eased my anxiety in ways overcommitting never could. Peace follows where God leads.

Next Steps

Are you carrying burdens God never asked you to bear? What’s one thing you can surrender today? Start there. Let that surrender lead to another—and then another. 

Pray The Lord’s Prayer:

Listen to The Lord’s Prayer by Matt Maher here