A Prayer to Do Less and Trust God More
By Rick Warren
“We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. As it turned out, it was the best thing that could have happened. Instead of trusting in our own strength or wits to get out of it, we were forced to trust God totally — not a bad idea since he’s the God who raises the dead!” - 2 Corinthians 1:8-9
Some of you have had some goals and dreams that you’ve been striving, seeking, working, hustling, hurrying for year after year after year, and you haven’t achieved them yet. Why don’t you just back off a little bit? Relax. Chill out. Trust God. Watch what he can do. He can do it a whole lot faster and a whole lot better than you can do it.
The only benefit of being stretched and being on overload is that it forces you to trust God. It brings you to your knees, and you realize you’re up against the wall, out of steam, out of energy.
One time the Apostle Paul hit burnout. He was in Asia, working and serving. And he was ready to throw in the towel!
God can do what you can’t do. Jesus did not say, “If you’re busy, you can move mountains.” He didn’t say, “If you work really hard and get really stressed out, you can move a mountain.” He said that if you have faith, you can move mountains (Matthew 17:20). Faith, not busyness, is what gets the job done.
So what’s your mountain? What’s the problem in your life that needs moving? Stop doing so much! Do less, and trust God more.
Pray this prayer today:
Father, I’ve lived without margin in my life for so long I can hardly remember what it’s like to not feel fatigue or pressure all the time. I think fatigue is the normal way I’m supposed to live and feel, but it’s not. I’m tired of being rushed and late and exhausted all the time. I’ve got too many irons in the fire, and I need your help to get out of the mess I’ve gotten myself into. Help me to recognize and accept my limitations. Help me to put some space in my schedule. I need breathing room and margin in my life. Jesus Christ, I know I can’t do it all, and I need your wisdom in deciding what matters most and what I should do. I don’t want to waste my life. Please give me the courage to say ‘no’ to the wrong things and ‘yes’ to the right things. Most of all, help me to trust you. Forgive me for thinking and acting as if everything depends on me. It doesn’t. It all depends on you! I want to have greater faith in you and less reliance on myself. I want less stress and more margin in my life. In your name I pray. Amen.
Content taken from the Daily Hope with Rick Warren devotional, Do Less and Trust God More, written by Rick Warren. You can read that piece in full here.
Related Resource: Starting 2026 with Intention: Confidence, Diligence, and God’s Direction
As we begin a brand-new year, I want to help you slow down and listen for God’s invitation in your life. In this episode, we kick off our One Word 2026 series — a simple, prayerful way to reflect on where you’ve been and discern how God may be inviting you to grow in the year ahead.
I introduce the heart behind choosing a spiritual “one word,” not as a goal to achieve, but as a posture to receive. We explore two of the six words I’ll be offering this month — confidence and diligence — and look at how Scripture invites us to grow, not by relying on our own strength, but by trusting God’s faithfulness over time.
This episode is part of our How to Study the Bible Podcast, a show that brings life back to reading the Bible and helps you understand even the hardest parts of Scripture. If this episode helps you know and love God more, be sure to subscribe to the How to Study the Bible Podcast on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
