Calling All Control Freaks

Tenacious and a bit invasive.  At times, obsessive, perfectionistic, or critical.  Perhaps a tad rigid or demanding.  And yes, since we're talking straight today, disrespectful and obnoxious.

Ouch!

Truth be told, it can be fairly easy for some of us to swoop on in to endlessly control help those we do life with.  Sadly, our best intentions often end up backfiring as we repeatedly interfere in their lives, uninvited, leaving a trail of hurt and frustration in our wake. 

This rescue mentality often occurs because our identity, our value, our esteem is not fully settled in our relationship with our Savior but rather in what we can do for others.

And there's often some deep seated woundedness in the past that lurks deep.  Without even being fully aware of its powerful undertow, we believe the lie that if we can somehow manipulate all that touches us, maybe we can somehow push away that pain that threatens to undo the core of who we are. 

The bottom line is that as much as we yearn to, there are certain things we can't direct.  Rescue.  Manage.  Or fix.  Some of our own circumstances are truly out of our hands.  And just about all of everyone else's stuff is as well, as much as we'd like to think differently. Because there's only One who can step in to turn things upside down, redefine out of control circumstances, and heal souls.

What we CAN do is figure out what's ours to tend to.  Things like ... 

investing our time and energy well

caring for our bodies, minds, and souls with wisdom 

naming and owning our emotions in ways that are healthy

discovering who we need to be to love well 

 

inviting the Spirit to fill us with His fruit - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control

identifying and using the abilities and calling God has gifted us with

Turns out that's the easy part.

The not so easy?  Choosing to release our control frantic grasping over everything else that buzzes across our radar.  Handing it straight on up to the One who set the majestic heavens in place, who counts the grains of sand on deepest ocean floors, who knows the end from the beginning.  This is tough stuff.  We're so sure that we've got all the answers and want so badly to step in and control save the day.  But only the Redeemer can do that.

Now ... to get out of His way and invite Him to do what He does best.  Comfort.  Convict.  Rescue.  Save.  Because He's the Holy One who touches lives in the most incredible, powerful ways, far beyond what we could ask or imagine.