Popular Podcast Host Tara Sun on the Freedom of Letting Go and Surrendering to God
For a long time, popular podcaster, Tara Sun tried controlling her own life, until one day she heard the audible voice of God say, “You aren’t supposed to be here.” Just like the rest of us, Tara was determined to salvage her life’s plan because she thought she knew better than God. But like everyone else who has tried to white- knuckle their way to self-fulfillment, Tara discovered what lies on the other side: frustration, disappointment and exhaustion when life doesn’t go our way. “Friends, I really thought I had it all “figured out,” Sun says. “The blueprint I had designed for my life was simple and clear (or so I thought). Just like most of my life thus far, I would cruise through college on track to become a doctor. Now, although that’s not a bad goal, my grasp on my future and how I wanted my life to pan out was tight and deathly.”
After hearing the audible voice of God tell her, “You are not supposed to be here,” everything came to a screeching halt. This event forced Sun to confront the reality that she wasn’t in control and that her plans weren’t the best for her life – God’s were.
In her new book, Surrender Your Story: Ditch the Myth of Control and Discover Freedom in Trusting God (Thomas Nelson, March 7 2023), Tara takes readers on her journey of discovering the antidote to the burdensome and ultimately empty myth of control: surrendering to the God who cares for us and has an infinitely better blueprint for our lives – filled with the joy, peace and meaning we’ve been searching for.
Below, the popular podcast host and author talks about her journey, trusting God, her upcoming book and how secular manifestation and “girl-boss-ing” is actually hurting us as a society and as followers of Christ.
What is it like to walk through a chronic illness and still believe God is good?
Anyone who has ever gone through a chronic illness, hardship, or difficult circumstance has thought at one point or another, “Is God really good?” When a wrench is thrown into our plans, we’re faced with a choice – to believe one of two things: if God is our God or if our circumstances are our god. The enemy of our souls would like nothing more than to trick us into believing that a hard time equals a bad God. The enemy of our souls would like nothing more than to tell us that God is unloving and unkind when our circumstances are tiresome. But here’s the truth. God is good even when our circumstances are not. It’s not because of Him that we deal with trials and tribulations – it is because of the fallen world and the sin that wrought it. But thanks be to God who sent His Son, Jesus, to redeem us from a broken world. And because of that, we have a God who does not waste the illnesses, brokenness, and difficulties of our lives. Walking with God does not erase the difficulties, but it makes the burdens of life lighter and more hopeful (Matthew 11:28-30). Walking through chronic illness and hardships and still believing God is good is a result of having an eternal lens in which we see the world. Ask God to give you His eyes and His perspective.
How do we get to a point where we truly trust God with our lives and why is getting to this point so important?
It’s one thing to say we trust God, and it’s another thing to truly believe it and live like it. If we want to get to a place of true trust in God, we need to know His character. As I share in chapter ten of Surrender Your Story, we need to know who we are surrendering to in order to trust Him. We wouldn’t want to surrender to anyone, right? First, we must begin with an intimate knowledge of who our Savior is because when we know who He is, we are freed up to realize He is more than worthy to be trusted.
How does giving up your independence and leaning on God help you Thrive?
The world will tell you that you’re the creator of your own destiny. It’ll tell you that you don’t need anyone or anything to achieve the life you want. But if you’ve ever tried to live by those mantras, you’ve come to the same conclusion I have: We can’t “do it all.” We weren’t created to be independent from God, but to be dependent on God. We were designed to thrive best when we abide in the True Vine (John 15). No fruit or life can be grown when abiding in ourselves and our own strength. Giving up our independence does not mean ceasing to be responsible or hard working – rather, it means giving up the allusions (yes, it’s just that – an allusion) of control. It means finding strength in the fact that we can’t do it all, nor why would we want to when we have the Creator of the Universe who empowers us. So often we burn ourselves out because we operate out of self-sufficiency and independence, believing that it all depends on us. But there’s freedom and rest when we throw up our hands, release our death grip, and lean on Him.
Many are frustrated because they don’t know their reason for existing and don’t know how to lean on God or trust His will for their lives. Tell us about God’s will 101
This is exactly why I wrote chapter six of Surrender Your Story, where I walk you through God’s will and how to make biblical decisions that honor Him! One of the biggest questions we’re faced with as Christians is that of God’s will – what is it? How do I find it? And what is God’s will for my own specific life, job, relationship, etcetera? Here’s the deal: God’s will is not hidden from us. We just have to put in the work to pursue it and discover it. Rest assured that God has not hidden what you need to know. There are two different types of God’s will – His hidden will and His revealed will. When we know both and how they work hand in hand, we can discover His purpose for our lives and how to trust Him with the twists and turns of our stories.
Tell us about secular manifestation and girl-bossing and how this hurts us as a society and as followers of Christ. And what is the antidote for a Christian Woman who seems to be attracted to the secular manifestation and girl-bossing?
The idea of manifestation and girl-bossing seems harmless, but it is seriously dangerous to our souls. I can’t tell you how many people, not to mention Christian individuals, I have seen swept up in this trend. It may seem like not that big of a deal – like what’s the harm in focusing on positive things and desiring those things to come to pass in our lives? Well, the problem is that it sets us up as our own god. It completely disregards God, His power, and His will. It positions us as lord over our lives, when there is only one Lord. Not only does manifestation open us up to forces against God, it deeply affects our relationship with God. To the one who follows God but also feels pulled to this secular belief, I would encourage you to remind yourself of the gospel – plain and simple. Ephesians 2 tells us that it is by grace we have been saved, and it is of no work of ourselves. That alone reminds us that we have no power to attract anything to us. That alone reminds us that we live under the grace and provision of God alone. God is in control, and we are not – and that’s actually beautiful news.
We live in a world where results are wanted at top speed. This can be seen even in the faith-based community. How does one slow down and walk with God, at His pace, instead of rushing ahead of Him?
Slowing down and walking with God at His pace instead of rushing ahead of Him is one of the hardest but most rewarding things we could do in this life. Culture says, “Why wait?” but God says, “Walk with Me.” When we rush ahead of God instead of asking Him what He wants us to do, we miss out on the beautiful story that He has for us. We miss out on the fruit and the sanctifying work He has for us in the waiting. Practically, walking at God’s pace looks like consulting Him in everything. It means cultivating a lifestyle of prayer and intercession and getting comfortable in the waiting seasons, trusting that He has purposed them.
What inspired you to write your book Surrender Your Story, and why do you feel now is the time to release this book?
Surrender Your Story was not only born from my own personal testimony but from a burning passion to reach a world with the freeing message of surrender and trust in Christ. We’re all running ourselves ragged and living frustrated with broken dreams and plans. But Jesus’ invitation in Luke 9:23 gives us more freedom and purpose than we could ever come up with on our own. Now is the time to release this book because our culture is saturated with messages of self. Now is the time because we’re all wondering what the point of life is and where our lives are headed. Now is the time.
You have a podcast called the Truth Talks with Tara. Tell us about this podcast and how it helps listeners.
Truth Talks with Tara is my baby! I’d love to have you join us every week anywhere you get podcasts. This show has one mission: to help listeners know, love, and live God’s Word. Truth Talks with Tara is all about Scripture breakdown, conversations on Christian topics and hot-button questions while featuring some amazing guests. If you want to go deeper with your faith and enjoy a light-hearted, spirited conversation, this is for you.
More about Tara Sun:
Through the Truth Talks with Tara podcast, her Instagram community, and other resources, Tara Sun passionately teaches women of all ages how to know, love, and live God’s Word for themselves. She shows how to break down God’s Word into understandable pieces, while also adding an artistic flare through her digital art. Tara is married to her high school sweetheart, Michael, and is a mom to their newest addition, Hunter. You’ll find them living and serving the Lord in Oregon.
