Help! I'm A Control Freak! - Part III

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job%2037:15&version=NIV

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Eph+1%3A11&version=NIV

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isa%2046:9-10&version=NIV1984
 

Well, to some degree or other, as we have seen, we are all control freaks.  That much is certain.  What to do about it is another question.  Fortunately there is an answer.

I think the first place to start is to find someone else to be in control.  Someone we feel very confident in.  Who might that be?  For some people it is a spouse.  Get married.  Give up control.  Go along for the ride.  While in some cases this may work in other cases it will end up being a nightmare.  Besides, giving up complete control to some other human will never satisfy us.  Because no one is perfect.  There will too much control.  Or too little control.  Or the wrong kind of control.  This is where God comes into the picture.  He is the perfect Person for the job.  After all, He is perfect.  And everything He does is perfect.  Including being in control of the entire universe.  And if He can control the entire universe, don’t we think that we can trust Him to control our lives?  Of course we can.

Then I think we need to be convinced of the advantages that comes from not being a control freak.  Of giving up control of our lives to God.  So what kind of benefits can we expect to receive when we give up control to Him?

First of all, no worries.  That’s right.  God’s got everything under control.  Whew!  We can sit back and relax.  And enjoy life.  Everything’s going to be fine.  Even when the future looks uncertain.  Never fear.  God is here.

Secondly, no responsibilities.  Or only one I should say.  Obedience.  Doing whatever He tells us to do whenever He tells us to do it.  It makes life pretty simple.  We don’t have to figure it all out.  Just do what He tells us to do.

Thirdly, no blame.  Now this is pretty sweet.  When we give God control, we no longer are at risk.  Risk of getting it wrong.  Risk of screwing up our lives.  Oh, the pressure that takes off our shoulders! 

Fourth, no doubts.  No doubts about how we are doing.  Whether we are making the right decisions & choices.  Once again, we can relax.  We have the confidence that Father knows best.  We don’t have to doubt whether we’re on the right road or not.  We know that we are.

A couple days ago, my friend John Moniz replied to my post title, Help!  I’m A Control Freak! by writing the following: I can help but you would have to give me COMPLETE control!  Yes, that’s exactly it!  These are the very words of God to each of us.  I can help you not be a control freak but the only way to accomplish this is to give me complete control.  Our problem, at least the problem that I have, is that I want to retain a little bit of control for myself.  Especially in the important decisions.  After all, this is my life!  But this is precisely the problem.  God doesn’t do a shared-control approach.  It’s all or nothing.  It sounds a little harsh but it’s the only way it will work.  It has to be His way.  All His way.  Every day.

So, what’s the choice going to be?  Well, if you really are serious about getting help for your control issues, and if you really are serious about serving God, then there is only one choice.  Hand over the control (how about the remote control!) over to God.  Time will prove it to be the smartest choice you ever made!

Lord, there is only one way that my life is going to truly be in control.  If you control it.  So I relinquish control to You.  Right Now.  Control me.  And in those times when I take control back, remind me that I am only going to screw things up.  So I should hand control back over to You.  Right away.  I am so glad that I can trust You with my life.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.