Out of Control

We don't like to be out of control. Generally speaking, humans are very control oriented creatures and when things begin to slip out of our grasp we quickly become irritated, uncomfortable, and concerned. This is easily proven by examining nearly any random individual you care to look at deal with many of the minor inconveniences that assail us on any given day.

Imagine, for example, that you are driving down a two lane road that does not allow for passing and you find yourself behind someone who -for whatever reason- has decided to drive five or ten miles below the posted speed limit. If you are anything like myself you will last perhaps five minutes before your opinion of the person in the car ahead has dropped drastically and in another few minutes you'll be devising all manner of creative nicknames for them.

We don't like to be out of control, we don't like things simply happening -to- us, we don't like not being in charge; and I can't help but feel that this is most of the problem that people have with the idea of God. This is true especially in western cultures where we have thrown away the idea of royalty and view even the concept itself as something somehow wrong. We love our autonomy and individual freedom is so praised and protected that the world is now embracing the idea that we can determine not only who we interact with romantically and sexually but also that we can each of us decide what we are mentally and biologically. What I say goes and I dare anyone to challenge me, that is the opinion of modern man. This of course flies directly in the face of scripture, where God is well, God.

There simply isn't any room for man to be the determiner of his own fate in a world where God exists. If God created all things than God owns all things and if God owns all things than God has authority over all things and if God has authority over all things than we don't get to say what's what do we?

Ultimately this is the very basis of our separation from God, we don't want to obey we want to command. We don't want to be followers and we've spent thousands of years convincing ourselves that following is weak and pathetic and that the truly strong, the truly worthy and valuable are those who lead. We all want to be CEO's and nobody wants to be an assistant. Thus we have defied the authority of almighty God and spit in His face. We have attempted to quit our jobs and strike out on our own only to find that we are woefully inadequate for the position of God, meeting none of the requirements and having none of the necessary faculties. The world around us is falling apart and yet we continue to claim that we'll fix it one of these days like a man with absolutely no talent around the home pretending that he's just one good Saturday's work away from a repaired water heater or new kitchen cabinets.

Sadly, even Christians are guilty of this desire for control. Many of us have convinced ourselves that the will of God for our lives is whatever is nice, and clean, and comfortable. We have forgotten that the path of righteousness will often lead us through dark valleys and across rugged terrain. Like the world around us we've managed to convince ourselves that we are what matter, that we are what is most important, and that anything that does not result in our immediate happiness must be outside the will of God and avoided.

We've forgotten that we are not the King.

We all want to be in control. The problem is that we have never been in control. We have never been in control of anything, ever, and yet we still cling to this farce. I had no say in where and when I was born or to whom. I was not able to assemble my upbringing from a list of available options. I had little control over the friends that came my way or the opportunities that came across. I could not make my wife say “I do.” We have so very little control for a people that love it so.

If we would only remember that we are basically adrift in a sea with the waves controlled by another than I think we would be much better at handling the turnings of the tide. With God in control where He belongs I do not have to worry over tomorrow, I do not have to fret over what may be. I don't have to be good enough, I don't have to be smart enough, I don't have to strong enough. I am free to do my best and let come what may. I am free to follow. I am free to be out of control, at least my own.

What do you think? Are you too concerned over control in your life? Where could you stand to loosen your grip?  Talk about it in the comments below!