The Control Tower for Your Life

Control is a major hot button in most people's lives no matter what perspective you take on it. Sometimes we are struggling to maintain control. Sometimes we are fighting to gain back control. Then there are the times that we feel totally out of control. The list goes on and I am sure you can add several phrases to the few mentioned already. One thing has become abundantly clear in both my own life and in talking with many others: this issue of control can cause a tremendous amount of havoc in our lives. Why is it so important to us?

One aspect of its importance is grounded in the past harm and emotional hurt that we have experienced because someone else was seemingly in control of our lives. We feel wronged because someone else's decisions, comments or actions have had a negative impact on us. This is when we will often hear someone proclaim, "If only I had been in more control of .... this would not have happened." Anger, disappointment and depression are only a few of the results of that perspective. Hindsight is 20-20 we often hear. If only.... is another common response. But the reality in our perception is that we were not in control and that is why this happened to us.

Another aspect is one of protecting oneself against potential harmful or dire circumstances. Whether it is the overall economy, our personal job situation or relationships, we feel that it is important that we have "it all together." Planning ahead can become an obsession for some of us as we anticipate negative events and do our very best to guard against the inevitable fallout that will result from these events. Exhaustion, stress and anxiety are a few of the results of this perspective. Even though we most likely have little ability to alter the grand circumstances, we feel obligated to do everything humanly possible to guard against these outcomes.

Still another perspective is that difficult one when we feel as if we have totally lost control due to the circumstances around us. Events such as sudden death, an unexpected illness, severing of long-term relationships or a severe change in our support network can trigger this sense of loss. We feel like a boat without sails or a rudder caught in a storm, unable to direct our own life out of this swirling mass of wind, rain and waves that seem to be beating us to death. Confusion, action paralysis and fear may result from this perspective. The feeling that nothing is going to work out and that everything is collapsing around us dominates our every waking hour.

This is just a sampling of control issues. As you already know, the scenarios are vast and diverse. However the one concept that they all have in common is that the reactions and emotions that result from them are negative and do not lead us into forward, calm thinking. So how can this happen to someone who loves the Lord and is trying to live a life for Him? My heart aches for each person I know that is struggling with control issues. I ache because I know intimately how that feels and also know intimately how counter-productive it is to living a Christ-centered life.

Ultimately when we are operating in these negative reactionary modes, we are allowing something other than Christ to control our lives. If you analyze your own personal situation in which this may be occurring, you may find that you are allowing the spirit of fear to control. You may be allowing the spirit of self-condemnation to control. You may be allowing the spirit of mammon to control. There are as many negative spirits trying to attach themselves to us as there are excuses for why we are not trusting the Lord Almighty. Whichever negative spirit is operating in your space, it is important to identify the fact that it is not your trust in the Lord Almighty that is operating.

Proverbs 3:5-6 have been my life verses since I accepted Christ. Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths. But did you know that the word "Trust" appears 134 times in the Bible? Do a word study sometime with a concordance and look them all up. God is faithful in instructing us to trust Him with our lives, our souls and every aspect of who we are and what we do. He makes it abundantly clear that He knows more about our world than we could possibly imagine. Isaiah 55:9 For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. Let's just acknowledge the fact that He is in control whether we like what is happening or not. If we are patient and do not take our eyes off of Him, we will someday understand what this journey was all about.

There is one more really important instruction that comes from our Lord Almighty and it is consistently spoken throughout the Word. Matthew 6:24 "No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." This verse specifically mentions money or the spirit of mammon however you can insert anything into that phrase that is taking precedence over your love of God. For example, how can you have the spirit of fear dominating your life if you truly TRUST the Lord to carry you through any circumstance? How can you allow the spirit of self-condemnation to operate if you believe in who you are in Christ? These questions are not meant to judge anyone; they are written to encourage us to believe in the promises that He has given us. We do not have to submit to those other spirits that are limiting what we can accomplish for the Lord. We just need to recognize Who is really in control and submit to His love and direction in our lives. Can we do it? Can we release control and give it to Him so that He can have the desire of His heart with us?

One last scripture for you: Hosea 6:6 I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than burnt offerings. What an incredible wooing from our Lord. He is seeking intimacy if we will only release control of our lives to find it with Him. What is your heart's desire? Who is in the control tower of your life?