Sarah McClelland shares her story of transformation from fear to surrender and learning to trust God and His plan.
Key Verse: “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4 ESV
God has better plans for us than we have for ourselves. While I’m convinced of this now, I didn’t always believe it. In fact, I used to cringe at the thought of trusting God’s plans for my life. For years, I feared His plans would make me uncomfortable—even miserable. I thought I would hate my life if I trusted Him and held my own plans loosely.
I’m almost embarrassed to admit all the ways I didn’t trust God over the years. But if you struggle with this too, I’ll go ahead and tell on myself, because we’re on this faith journey together.
The Fear of Letting Go
In college, while earning my degree in screenwriting and producing, I began meeting a lot of Asian students. Because I didn’t fully trust God, I feared the worst about my new friendships. I was convinced God was preparing me to move overseas and live in China as a missionary.
I imagined myself living in a small, disheveled village hut, surviving on plain rice and green tea. I pictured struggling to learn Chinese and secretly passing out Bibles to people I didn’t understand. As silly as it sounds now, I can’t forget how real that fear was!
My imagination ran wild, but really, it was just reflecting what I believed about God. I didn’t think He had good things for me. I didn’t trust that if I placed my life in His hands, it would turn out well—or that I’d even enjoy it.
Of course, God never called me to be a missionary, and I’ve never had to live in a hut. But those fears and misconceptions about His plans followed me for years.
Learning to Trust
In my 20s, I moved from rural Ohio to Los Angeles, determined to use my screenwriting degree. My dream was to work for Disney or DreamWorks as a story developer. But no matter how hard I worked or how much I strived, those doors never opened. The only jobs I could land were in reality TV production.
Still, I kept pushing, convinced that if I just tried harder, I could make my dreams happen. But deep down, I had a nagging feeling—I needed to slow down and listen to God.
I’d been doing life my own way for so long, but maybe it was time to fully surrender. After all, my plans had never really been good for me. They had only led me to grasp for control and chase what I thought was best. Maybe God knew better.
As I began making space in my busy production schedule to seek Him, something shifted. I found peace and contentment right where I was—in the midst of a life I hadn’t planned, working a job I hadn’t wanted, even as a single woman—I had peace.
And I realized something life-changing: God wasn’t the harsh, demanding ruler I had imagined. He wasn’t calling me into obligation or discomfort. He was inviting me into a relationship.
The God Who Loves Us More
As I spent time in the Word and with my church community, I discovered the God who loved me more than I could imagine. The God whose plans for me were better than my own. The God who didn’t just ask for my obedience—but who transformed my heart to desire what He wanted for me (Psalm 37:4).
Friend, if you struggle with letting go of your plans and trusting God with your future, I want to encourage you. Don’t focus on prying your dreams out of your hands or surrendering out of obligation.
Instead, focus on knowing the God who loves you beyond measure. As you delight in Him, He will change your heart. He will shift your desires and thoughts toward Him. And He may even invite you on an adventure you never expected.
I never became a screenwriter in the way I once imagined. But God has led me along beautiful, quiet paths of contentment. He has shepherded my soul in ways I never knew I needed. And in His goodness, He still fulfilled my passion—just in a way I never anticipated. Today, I share God’s Word on my YouTube channel, using the college degree I once thought was wasted.
God can do far more than we could ever imagine—if only we learn to trust Him. Because He is truly, unfailingly good.
Meet Sarah
Sarah McClelland is a lover of Jesus, wife, boy mom, coffee enthusiast, writer, and YouTuber, helping women heal from the past, live fully in the present, and trust God with the future. Through much seeking, counseling, and prayer, Sarah has learned the value of building her life on God’s Word and living by faith. She has been part of two mission trips to Costa Rica, where she spoke to college classes and engaged with students on the topics of finding peace in God and navigating careers with wisdom.
Social links:
https://www.youtube.com/@herjourneywithgod/featured
https://www.instagram.com/sarahemcclelland
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Your story matters. Each week Briannagrams features a guest writer on how they’ve surrendered to God. If you are interested, check out the guidelines here.
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