Control – The Ever Elusive Mirage

This fractured world is a breeding ground for problems. Plenty of reasons to worry.

And the mirage of control glimmers tantalizingly in the distance, ever taunting us with the hope of its capture.

We think if we can gain control of our circumstances we would be happy. At peace. Content.

But what we’re doing by pursuing what isn’t ours to have (control) is actually leaving the place of joy, peace, and contentment. Because that place is only possible in a life where control is left where it belongs – in the hands of our eternally loving Savior.

Let go, let God, and let your soul find rest. ❣

Copyright © 2018 Rejoicing In Hope. All rights reserved.

25 thoughts on “Control – The Ever Elusive Mirage”

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  5. These are very true thoughts about many people’s pursuit of control, including mine. Well said.

    However, I want to point out that for some poor people, that need for control is *very* needed. The physically abused *need* control of their bodies in order to find peace and rest. The verbally and emotionally abused *need* control to get away from the influence of their abuser in order to find release from anxiety. Years and years of handing things to God without finding an escape from my abuse led to panic attacks, extreme OCD tendencies, arrested development, and a severely skewed view of God’s goodness. So, I want to offer reassurance for those like me: anxiety is not JUST always our agitated soul scrambling for control (even though Beth Moore said so and she’s lovely).

    Sure our souls do that, but that’s not real, serious anxiety that won’t go away even when you throw up your hands. Serious anxiety is *often* a sign that something in your environment needs to change because it’s very unhealthy and NOT what God wants for you. Often the change is brutal and requires enormous sacrifice and faith that God will bring you through. But if you find yourself relinquishing your autonomy to the extent that others are stripping you of human rights–Jesus does not want that from you. You should not let go of your basic need to be loved, respected, and comforted as a precious, beloved child of God. God created you with that need and the intent to fill it with good things; don’t deny yourself such love!

    It’s one thing to worry endlessly about ultimately inconsequential details of life; that kind of control we can leave up to God. It’s another thing to worry if anyone will ever love you, if you will ever be wanted, or if you will ever heal from terrible brokenness. Relief from those things *ought* to be sought after, hard. These wounds of brokenheartedness must be bound up carefully and tenderly and require a different approach to anxiety than the one described above–in my case, good Christian counseling and reading Brennan Manning have been absolutely instrumental. ❤

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    1. Thank you for sharing a new perspective! I think perhaps it does depend on what the situation is. There are some things that we do have a measure of control over and defending ourselves from harm, I believe l, should be done. Some people interpret Scriptures saying to turn the other cheek as not defending oneself, but I don’t believe that’s the case. If you’re in danger, find safety.
      However, there are a lot of things that are up to God that we still try to take control over, and those things cause anxiety. We’re worrying about things that are not ours to worry about. We try to grab the steering wheel of our lives, but that’s not our place nor could we handle it if we did manage to grab it. For example, it’s so easy to worry that something will happen to a family member (accident, disease, etc.) Things we can’t control, but if we just let ourselves worry and worry and become anxious, even though nothing has happened yet and maybe nothing ever will, that’s when we just need to let go and let God be God. We can’t possibly control that and are not meant to. Sometimes things happen. So in cases like that, as an example, it’s best to let go of our need to control in order to find rest. 💗

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      1. “Things we can’t control, but if we just let ourselves worry and worry and become anxious, even though nothing has happened yet and maybe nothing ever will, that’s when we just need to let go and let God be God.” Absolutely, well said, and I agree! Thank you, too, for listening to my perspective and responding with compassion and understanding. 🙂 I read and heard a lot of the same thing as you wrote above and constantly misapplied it to my own situation while growing up, because I knew of no other Christian teaching that *did* apply to my situation, and I wanted to follow God. Nobody knew or talked about the edge cases where these principles didn’t fit. So now, I want to be a voice for others like me who are searching Christianity for help and answers, but only find lessons that aren’t suitable for their situation… and then end up feeling terrible guilt for when they don’t help, because it seems like they should.

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      2. Yes, I think unfortunately that’s sometimes a failing – principles are blindly taught and followed…Sometimes simply because that’s what was taught them. The Scripture is to be the basis for everything, and if we’re not getting answers from those around us, it’s up to us to find God’s perspective on it straight from His Word. What a gift that we have that to go to! 😊
        Have a great day! 💗

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  8. Savannah, I am in a season of learning to let go of even more. I’m sure you know the place. It’s when you’ve tackled one area of.life and God says, “Okay, now let’s tackle this.” Your post is just what I needed to verify what I’ve been hearing. Thank you for sharing! ♥️ And I haven’t forgotten about the versatile blog award. Still working on that. Thank you for your kind words and the nomination.

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  9. To let go and let someone else have control requires us to trust the person. The better we know the person, the easier it is to trust the person. We need to spend time with the Lord in prayer, worship, and reading the bible to get to know him better.

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