Spiraling out of control

"Every faculty you have, your power of thinking or of moving your limbs from moment to moment, is given you by God. If you devoted every moment of your whole life exclusively to His service, you could not give Him anything that was not in a sense His own already." - C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity 

"How long will you try to have it both ways? If the LORD is God, follow him” 
– 1 Kings 18:21

Dear warriors, 

A few weeks ago in For the Honor of our King, I wrote about the fact that our lives are not our own. Our lives belong to God, and God alone. One of the greatest weaknesses of our fast-paced, tech-driven, control-your-destiny culture is the fact that we feel the need to be in control of absolutely every part of our lives. From controlling when and how we watch TV shows, to trying to control, manipulate and micro-manage other people in our lives and their decisions—as if that were our call to make. 

Control is first and foremost an illusion. You are not in control of your life. And neither is anyone else. Putting other people in control of your life simply becomes a means of passing blame onto someone else when things go wrong in your own life. Trying to control other people will only lead to frustration and heartache. Have you ever felt like the more you tried to control a situation, the less grip you had on things, and the more you felt like things spiraling out of control?

It’s all about His Lordship. If you are a follower of Christ reading this, then you must realize: the day you make your decision to live for Christ, you give up your life and your “right” to control up to God. You had no control in the first place, but the moment you give your life to Christ, you recognize and acknowledge His Lordship. Take a moment to step back and realize that you are dust. You were created by a glorious Creator. You do not own a single part of your life, and you have never been in control of one thing in your life. From your own conception or birth, to the length of your day, to the path your life takes. You did not determine your own talents, or the feel of your skin or the color of your eyes or the way your DNA was written. You have free will—given by a Creator—but you do not have control. You never have and you never will.

The only thing you can control is your “Self”. Your will, emotions, attitudes, responses, and behaviors. One of the fruits of the Spirit is Self-Control. 

The best thing you can do out of an attitude of self-control is to choose to give up any illusions you have about controlling your own life, and submit to His Lordship. That’s right: give control up to Him. Make a decision that whether you feel like it or not, to give Him the praise that is due Him. Make a decision to live for Him. Make a decision to commune with Him in prayer, and not to neglect your relationship with Him. He is worthy! And He is faithful. Make a decision with one single, simply prayer:

Jesus, be my Lord.

You’re going to have to make a decision to live the rest of your life either for your Self or for Christ. Why live a life grasping for control (an illusion that can never bring fulfillment), when you can give control up to God? When you acknowledge His Lordship, He doesn’t take over your life like you’re some pawn—He is a loving God who wants you to delight in Him, and give you the desires of your heart! (Don’t believe me? Read Psalm 37:4!)

When you submit to His Lordship, do not simply ‘submit’ to the idea of majesty, or the concept of supremacy—submit to the reality of it. Give Him full permission to renew your mind, to redevelop your life in line with His sovereignty and majesty. Ask that He, in His Kingship, would come and rule in your heart and life. He wants to grow your heart, to teach you to live by the fruits of the Spirit, to live out of a place of relationship with Him—so that you live and move with Him in all you do!

So if you are struggling with trying to control everything in your life, this is your call to relinquish control. Give control up to Him, and recognize that you are a warrior at the feet of a great and mighty King, Lord and Creator. You were created by a God whose heart is moved by your prayers, who put a great and wonderful calling on your life (and talents and desires to match that) and wants to see those fulfilled in your life. He is for you, not against you! When you relinquish your (illusion of) control up to Him, He will honor that beyond your wildest imagination! So I ask this: Make a decision not to do life alone this week, but to lean on Christ Jesus through everything. Allow yourself to come into a place of awe over the majestic nature of our Savior; allow yourself to be so overcome by His great wonder, splendor and majesty, that it utterly transforms you to your very core!

Peace be with you, warriors,

Yours,
Warrior Beloved 

©Michèle Aimée, 2015