RECKLESS ABANDON
When holding on is no longer safe, let go wildly, wholly, and in faith.
It was a regular Monday morning, the kind that barges in without knocking. I had plans, deadlines, and what I thought were well-mapped-out steps. But somewhere in the noise, a quiet voice whispered, “What if you let go?” Not halfway. Not carefully. Entirely.
That question lingers because it strikes something deep: the fear of not being in control.
But God never asked us to control everything. He asked us to trust Him with everything. He calls us not to partial surrender, but to reckless abandon, a kind of faith that leaves nothing behind and holds nothing back.
This isn’t new. From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible is filled with people who chose to follow God with complete, reckless trust. They didn’t always have the full picture, but they had a full heart.
Abraham left his father’s house, his land, and everything familiar simply because God said, “Go to the land I will show you” (Genesis 12:1). He didn’t know where, but he trusted who.
Esther risked her life walking into the king’s court to save her people. Her words were bold: “If I perish, I perish” (Esther 4:16). That was reckless abandon choosing purpose over personal safety.
Peter stepped out of a boat during a storm. Not because it made sense, but because Jesus said, “Come” (Matthew 14:29). And for a few beautiful moments, Peter walked on water because faith dared him to move.
Mary, the mother of Jesus, gave her “yes” as a teenager to something impossible and life-altering. “Be it unto me according to your word,” she said (Luke 1:38). No backup plan. Just trust.
Paul laid down status, intellect, and comfort to carry the gospel through persecution and prison. He wrote, “I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:8).
Reckless abandon is a thread through Scripture. Not recklessness as the world defines it but a bold surrender rooted in faith. It’s trusting God when there are no visible signs. It’s obedience over outcome. It’s giving everything, not because you have to, but because you believe He is worth it.
But let’s be real: letting go is scary. We like the illusion of control. We want assurances before obedience. Yet time and again, God calls us to release what we hold onto so He can place in our hands what He’s prepared.
He says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5).
He promises, “Whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it” (Matthew 16:25).
He reminds us, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Letting go isn’t about being weak, it’s about being wise enough to place your life in the hands of the One who sees beyond today.
So what are you still holding onto?
That relationship? That job? That version of life you imagined? That fear of failing or missing out?
God is not asking for the easy parts. He’s asking for it all. The known and the unknown. The dreams and the doubts. Because only when your hands are truly empty can they be filled again.
There is a kind of peace that comes after surrender. The kind that surpasses understanding (Philippians 4:7). There’s a version of your life that you only step into when you stop trying to control the outcome and start trusting the One who holds time in His hands.
Today may be the day you stop rehearsing “what ifs” and finally step out like Peter. Or speak up like Esther. Or move like Abraham. Or say “yes” like Mary. Or let go like Paul.
God never promised the path would be easy. But He did promise to walk it with us. “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6).
You were not made for small, safe living. You were made for bold steps, deep trust, and mountain-moving faith. You were made for reckless abandon.
Take a Step Today:
What’s the one thing you’re still gripping tightly? Say this prayer:
“Lord, I surrender. Not just what’s easy to release, but everything. My plans, my fears, my timing, my control. I trust You, even when I don’t understand. Teach me to walk by faith and not by sight.”
Let it go. Not halfway. Fully. Then breathe.
You’re safe in the arms of a God who catches what you release and multiplies it for His glory.
Joseph Adetarami from IntelligenceX