Relying on God — What It Really Means to Stop Doing Life Alone

“I can do nothing on my own.”

This is the scripture that has been resting in my heart for the last few months now. Every time it resounds in my spirit, I am reminded of just how vital it is to rely completely on the Lord. The truth is, we live in a world where depending on people might seem scary and unreliable. But without noticing the shift, we can easily project that same caution onto the Lord, building a subtle habit of navigating our paths alone, without the Lord.

As someone who deeply loves her independence, I’ve realized you simply cannot go far with the Lord with such mindset. Being opportune to serve in a ministry where I am given the task to lead prayers, I have experienced firsthand how necessary it is to live a life of partnership with the Lord, not exclusion.

More times than I can count, I have faced situations where, after being tasked to lead prayers, I am left with no idea how to proceed. It’s funny how you think you know the scriptures until the moment comes to lead or teach the Word. That is when you truly realize no amount of head knowledge can ever empower you to do these things except by the Spirit of God.

Fleshly means can never birth spiritual realities. Even Christ’s entry into the world bypassed human ability, requiring a supernatural conception in Mary. If we want to see the will of God manifest in our lives, we must step outside of fleshly mechanics and yield to the protocols of the Spirit.

In all of Christ's work on earth, and in all of the works done by the disciples and apostles, one thing is certain: they did nothing on their own accord. Christ Himself said in John 5:19,

“Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.”

Both believers and unbelievers constantly fall into this trap of shutting out the Holy Spirit. For an unbeliever, refusing to partner with the Spirit means prioritizing the instant gratification of sin over a life of righteousness and holiness. But for us as believers, it looks a bit different: it’s the quiet decision to ignore His promptings, relying on our own understanding instead of trusting His leading

Christ set a template for both sides. For those outside the faith, coming to Jesus brings a profound sense of belonging. Jesus boldly addressed God as His Father, completely secure in His position as a Son. When we aren't firmly rooted in that divine connection, we end up living a life of impersonation. The truth is this: you can never truly find your real identity outside of Christ. Instead, you end up trying on identities that were never yours, constantly trying to piece together who you are.

Christ, because he was firmly rooted in God, never questioned His position, identity or place. He knew He was a Son with direct access to the Father, and it was through that secure sonship that He was able to reflect Him. His relationship with God was so deep that He knew exactly what His Father was doing, declaring that He only did what He saw His Father doing.

This is the ultimate template for believers. Walking with God doesn’t stop at the moment of salvation; that’s just where our sonship begins. From there, we have to start reflecting what the Father does by prioritizing proximity over position. You can be a legal son, yet still be completely distant from your father.

Too many of us have fallen into this trap. We are so comfortable simply being sons that we don’t put any weight on building an intimate relationship or staying close enough to see what He is doing. We must do whatever it takes—rearranging busy schedules, designating uninterrupted time, fasting, or taking retreats, to remain in His presence. True sons don't just claim the name or this position. They stay close enough to behold the Father and reflect His heart

It is only by walking in these templates that we unlock the beauty of doing nothing on our own accord, and relying on God. True transformation begins when an unbeliever lays down their independent search for identity and relies on God to transform them.

For the believer, shifting our focus from our spiritual status as sons, to prioritizing proximity changes everything. When we stay close to the Father, we see what He is doing, we hear what He is saying, and we gain the capacity to truly reflect Him on earth.