As children, I relied on my parents for everything. Without a second thought on my part, there was food on the table and clothes in the closet. I never wondered how I was getting to school or who would tuck me in at night. Mom and Dad took care of it all. They knew what was best for me.

As I got older, I started doing more on my own. I didn’t ask for help with math homework. I got a job and paid for my own lunch. Relying on my parents seemed less necessary. I knew they’d always be there, but independence was looming larger. I didn’t ask for their advice as much as I used to, and I became more comfortable making my own decisions.

Thinking back to when I first learned to rely on God, I recall that at the beginning, it was an untainted faith. When I was sick, I prayed knowing God would heal me. When I learned to drive, I prayed for safety knowing without a doubt He would protect me. For things Mom and Dad didn’t have control over, I learned to ask God. He always came through.

Do we still rely on Him today the way we did then?

As we get older, it seems natural to stop relying on God the way we stopped relying on our parents. With every milestone in our lives, we gain experience and independence. We start making big decisions on our own without asking God if it’s the right move.

But He knows what is best! Isaiah 55 states, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Why should I burden myself with decisions that seem impossible to make? God has the answers. Why worry about which path is the right path to take? He knows the way.

As an adult, it’s not always easy to rely on someone other than ourselves. To many people, relying on someone else means you’re relinquishing control. It means trusting that person to make the right decision or to complete a task successfully, and it doesn’t always go the way we want. God’s answers aren’t always what we want either, but His thoughts are higher than ours. He might reveal His plans in unexpected ways, but His ways are higher than ours. We can’t let those unwanted and unexpected answers keep us from relying on Him.

From the youngest to the oldest, God will always see us as His children. He knows we have tough questions. Ask Him for answers with childlike faith, fully relying on His wisdom and guidance. He loves a good chat before tucking us in at night.

This article has undergone ministry review and approval.