There is a sacred turning point on every spiritual path—a moment not of grand revelation, but of quiet release. It is not an achievement, not something we force or fabricate. It is what A Course in Miracles calls the moment of surrender: the holy instant when we stop striving, stop defending, stop trying to control—and instead, simply let go.
It sounds small, doesn’t it? Letting go. But it changes everything.
We are conditioned to equate control with safety. We plan, we calculate, we worry, we brace ourselves against life’s uncertainty. The ego whispers, “If you don’t hold it all together, everything will fall apart.” So we cling tightly—to relationships, outcomes, grudges, even our suffering—believing that control is strength.
But ACIM gently and firmly insists: “I do not understand anything I see.” It’s not an admission of ignorance—it’s an invitation to freedom. When we surrender our false understanding, we finally make room for a Higher Wisdom to enter. When we let go of our plans, we allow Divine Will to unfold.
Surrender is not giving up. It is giving over—to God, to Love, to the Truth that has always been present but blocked by our grasping.
The Course teaches that the ego thrives on control. It believes in a world of separation, where every individual must protect their interests or be destroyed. Under the ego’s guidance, we are constantly trying to manipulate people and events to match our expectations. When they don’t, we feel betrayed, anxious, or ashamed.
But ACIM reminds us: “I will step back and let Him lead the way.” This is the voice of surrender. It’s not passive—it’s powerful. It requires more courage to relinquish control than to tighten our grip.
When we finally stop insisting that we know best, something miraculous happens: peace enters. Not because the world has changed, but because we have.
The Course calls this shift “the holy instant.” It is the moment when we release our illusions and invite the Truth to shine through. It may look like a pause in an argument, a breath before reacting, or a whispered prayer in the midst of chaos.
In that instant, the past is gone. The future doesn’t exist. Only now remains—and in this now, there is no conflict. No guilt. No fear. Only God.
Letting go doesn’t mean we stop caring. It means we trust. We surrender the outcome, not because we’ve given up, but because we know we are not alone. We trust that the Spirit within us knows how to heal, how to guide, how to lead us home.
You may have lived this without even knowing it. Think of a time when you were struggling—emotionally exhausted, trying everything you could to fix a situation—and then finally said, “I can’t do this anymore.” And then… peace. Maybe it didn’t solve the problem immediately. But something inside you softened. Something deeper took over.
That moment was a surrender. That peace was the Presence of God entering where your resistance had once lived.
What happens when we let go?
We stop defending. We no longer need to justify ourselves or prove our worth. We stop fearing. Control is rooted in fear. Surrender is rooted in trust. We stop judging. Letting go of grievances opens the door to forgiveness. We stop suffering. Much of our pain comes from trying to change what we cannot.
Surrender opens us to love. And love always leads us to healing.
Surrender isn’t a one-time event—it’s a daily (sometimes hourly) practice. It shows up in the small choices: choosing silence over retaliation, saying “Thy Will be done” when the plan falls apart, pausing in prayer when panic rises, handing over your need to be right, forgiving without needing an apology. It shows up when we admit we don’t know what anything is for—and choose peace anyway.
A Course in Miracles says: “To give and to receive are one in truth.” When you surrender, you’re not losing—you’re gaining. By giving up control, you receive peace. By releasing judgment, you receive freedom. By letting go of fear, you receive love.
In a world that worships power and achievement, surrender looks like weakness. But in Truth, surrender is the doorway to your greatest strength. It is the act of returning to your Source and letting Love lead.
So if you are weary from holding it all together—pause.
If you are tired of trying to fix everything—pause.
If you don’t know what to do next—pause.
And in that pause, invite the Voice for God to lead you.
Because in that pause…
There is peace.
There is healing.
There is God.
For more ACIM-inspired essays and videos, visit dinojamesbooks.com
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Video Script:
The Quiet Power of Surrender: When Letting Go Sets You Free”
(Inspired by A Course in Miracles)
[Opening Visual: soft sunrise over still waters. Calm piano music begins.]
NARRATOR (warm, steady voice):
There is a quiet moment in every spiritual journey…
A moment when striving stops.
When the mind goes still.
And something deep within whispers…
“Let go.”
This is surrender.
Not defeat.
But the most powerful choice we can make.
[Visual: a person standing on a hill, arms open to the sky.]
The world teaches us to hold on…
To fight for control.
To make plans. Push harder.
Protect ourselves from the unknown.
But A Course in Miracles gently reminds us:
“I do not understand anything I see.”
And in that honesty… is our freedom.
[Visual: close-up of a person exhaling, releasing tension.]
When we surrender, we stop insisting that we know best.
We let go of outcomes.
We stop forcing solutions.
And we begin to trust… something greater.
Something wiser.
Something holy.
[Visual: peaceful nature scene – a leaf floating on water.]
The Course calls this the holy instant—
A moment when all fear falls away.
The past disappears.
The future doesn’t matter.
And we return to the present…
Where God is.
NARRATOR (gently):
Have you ever whispered…
“I can’t do this anymore…”
and suddenly felt peace?
That wasn’t weakness.
That was surrender.
That was strength.
[Visual: a person kneeling in prayer, then rising with soft resolve.]
Surrender doesn’t mean giving up.
It means giving over.
Letting Love lead instead of fear.
We surrender the need to be right.
We surrender the weight of judgment.
We surrender the belief that we are alone.
And in return, we receive peace.
[Visual: montage of small, kind moments—helping hands, gentle smiles, deep breaths.]
Surrender shows up in quiet choices:
A pause before reacting.
A breath before judging.
A prayer before deciding.
“I will step back and let Him lead the way,” the Course says.
And in that step back,
we step into grace.
[Music swells slightly—still calm, but hopeful.]
So if you are tired…
If your heart is heavy…
If you don’t know what to do next…
Pause.
And in that pause,
let go.
Because in that holy moment,
there is peace.
There is healing.
There is God.
[Final Visual: sunrise fully risen, illuminating the world. Text fades in slowly:]
The Quiet Power of Surrender
Letting Go Sets You Free
[Fade to black. Soft music ends.]
Voice-over (optional closing):
To explore more ACIM-inspired messages, visit DinoJamesBooks.com
Or connect directly at Robert@DinoJamesBooks.com
[End screen: Dino James Books logo and website URL]
Narration Only: “The Quiet Power of Surrender: When Letting Go Sets You Free”
There is a quiet moment in every spiritual journey…
A moment when striving stops.
When the mind goes still.
And something deep within whispers…
“Let go.”
This is surrender.
Not defeat.
But the most powerful choice we can make.
The world teaches us to hold on…
To fight for control.
To make plans. Push harder.
Protect ourselves from the unknown.
But A Course in Miracles gently reminds us:
“I do not understand anything I see.”
And in that honesty… is our freedom.
When we surrender, we stop insisting that we know best.
We let go of outcomes.
We stop forcing solutions.
And we begin to trust… something greater.
Something wiser.
Something holy.
The Course calls this the holy instant—
A moment when all fear falls away.
The past disappears.
The future doesn’t matter.
And we return to the present…
Where God is.
Have you ever whispered…
“I can’t do this anymore…”
and suddenly felt peace?
That wasn’t weakness.
That was surrender.
That was strength.
Surrender doesn’t mean giving up.
It means giving over.
Letting Love lead instead of fear.
We surrender the need to be right.
We surrender the weight of judgment.
We surrender the belief that we are alone.
And in return, we receive peace.
Surrender shows up in quiet choices:
A pause before reacting.
A breath before judging.
A prayer before deciding.
“I will step back and let Him lead the way,” the Course says.
And in that step back,
we step into grace.
So if you are tired…
If your heart is heavy…
If you don’t know what to do next…
Pause.
And in that pause,
let go.
Because in that holy moment,
there is peace.
There is healing.
There is God.
To explore more ACIM-inspired messages, visit DinoJamesBooks.com
Or connect directly at Robert@DinoJamesBooks.com
