Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you. —1 Peter 5:6-7 CSB

Sometimes, when I’m in a desperate situation, I catch myself lying. Now, before you stop reading, here are two things I want you to know: One, I do not lie to others; I lie to myself, and two, I’m coming clean.

The lie is simple, short, and easy to remember: “I can’t do this.” I say this to myself when I am overwhelmed and simply have no idea how to regain control of a situation. I drop my head and mumble the lie under my breath when it’s clear to me that big mistakes have been made. I’d like to say, “Sorry, I am not the girl for this messy job. To whom should I address my letter of resignation?” (Oh, I can’t resign from motherhood, you say? Bummer.)

Like all great lies, it begins with a hint of truth. I really can’t “do this” life on my own. Trust me, I’ve tried. There’s much I simply cannot control. There’s a lot of free will running amuck in our home, along with many unforeseen circumstances. There’s a lot of sin that needs to be repented. Sometimes, sickness, big medical issues, and even bigger bills intrude. So, I have, in fact, found myself in more than one situation that I am simply, truthfully, unable to handle.

But “I can’t do this” is a lie because it’s not the whole story. The whole story—the truer story—is that I can’t handle it on my own. But God is good, and He can handle it. He desires that I cast all my cares on Him. (See 1 Peter 5:7.) So, the truer story is this: “I can’t handle this without You, Lord.”

Yes, the truer story is a prayer. And just as He promises, “the truth will set us free.” (See John 8:32.)

Over the past few months, I have worked hard to immediately correct myself when I hear myself mumbling, “I can’t do this.” I pause, bow my head (conveniently, it is often already bowed in defeat), and I finish the sentence: “I can’t do this without You, Lord. Please help me.”

Friend, the Lord hears your prayers and comes to your rescue. He is a Good Shepherd. (See Psalm 23.) He can handle it. He will walk through this life with you. He understands suffering. He alone has unlimited resources.

When I welcome God into the situation and surrender it to Him, not only do I find peace to replace the despair, but I am also able to see the situation in a new light: A Light that has infinite resources (which I do not), a Light in control (which I am not), a Light that is sure of ultimate victory, a Light that loves me and knows I can’t do this without Him.

What lies do you find yourself often mumbling under your breath? Is there a truer story? Is there a prayer waiting to sprout from this pain?

Dear Lord, may we always remember You when we are tempted to succumb to the lies the accuser whispers to us. Thank You for being our strength and our ever-present help. Amen.

In Him,
Jayna Venturini

Sweet Selah Ministries 

Vision
To inspire a movement away from the belief that “busy is better”
and toward the truth of God’s Word that stillness and knowing
Him matter most—and will be reflected in more effective work and service

Mission
To offer biblical resources and retreats that help women pause (Selah)
and love God more deeply as they know Him more intimately (Sweet

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