How I Lost My Control Freak Membership
Inside: I have an issue with control. I don’t always feel like God has thought through the problem. He might be missing something. However, I’m ready to give up my control freak membership to God.
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When I was a child, we had the first Nintendo game system. The controller had a few buttons on it, and the simplicity made it easy to play the games. Fast-forward to now, and my son’s Xbox One controller is pretty elaborate. It has lots of buttons, and it also interacts with the T.V. –depending on where he is sitting.
As I looked through Wikipedia to see the progression of controllers, I was amazed at how the designs have changed. Simple and plain to elaborate. Less control to more control and interaction with the video games.
It’s a fact, we like to be in control. When things are going well, we feel less stressed. We like the greatest amount of control we can have.
We want to hold on to the controller and direct life the way we see it.
According to Sheila Wray Gregoire from To Love, Honor and Vacuum.com, “A women’s biggest fear is that she’s going to lose those things that she loves most.”
Is this why we like everything just so? The ribbon-tying up everything nice and pretty?
Is this your biggest fear? God will take something we hold dear, or somehow He will do something we won’t agree with?
After the birth of my fifth child, we struggled with multiple issues: tongue and lip tie, mastitis, twisted tailbone, and a few more problems. I felt robbed of the recovery period with my new baby because of all these issues. I couldn’t understand how God could bless me with this gift, but then leave me trying to fix all of this. Boy, did my anxiety escalate!
When everything was crumbling, I tried to fix it all back up. I couldn’t accept it. I ran myself ragged instead of opening my hands and giving it to God.
Clenched fists of control cause anxiety, open hands herald healing.
I have an issue with control. I don’t always feel like God has thought through the problem. He might be missing something, or it won’t end the way I want it to. I’ve been trying to run the show instead of walking in faith.
After the Israelites left slavery in Egypt, they lived in the wilderness. Oh, how they complained about the living arrangements! Many times they grumbled it would be better to go back to slavery than to be in the wilderness.
About a month after leaving Egypt, they ran out of food. But God had it covered.
11 Then the Lord said to Moses, 12 “I have heard the Israelites’ complaints. Now tell them, ‘In the evening you will have meat to eat, and in the morning you will have all the bread you want. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.’”
They found food right outside their tents that had come from the sky and landed on the ground. Every night and every morning. The only caveat was to get what they needed and leave the rest. No armfuls and no hoarding.
The Israelites had to trust that God would provide daily. The food was more than just for their bodies, it was also food for their faith. Everyone needed to depend on God and trust that He kept His word.
What I learn from this particular story is God had it all worked out. He provided food even to the Israelites– who continued to complain, grumble, and wish they could control the situation, and get themselves back to Egypt.
Oops! Why do I make God smaller in my mind?
I forget that God not only has it worked out, but He can see future events so much clearer than I. He can see the lessons I will learn, and the person I’m supposed to be.
God not only holds the control, He holds the ending also. Share on X
Isn’t this music to the ears in times of anxious feelings? He’s got it all planned for my good, and the end stops with Him in heaven.
(Psalm 121:8, NLT). The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go,
both now and forever.
Bravo Julie! I love your line, Clenched fists of control cause anxiety, open hands herald healing. That is awesome. Have a blessed weekend!
Thank you Kelsey! Have a great weekend!
Julie
<3 <3 Love your heart for Jesus. <3 <3 Have a beautiful weekend, my sweet friend.
Carolina- much love to you! Have a great weekend also!
Julie
A very good message Julie!
Andy- thank you for stopping!
Julie
Great post, Julie, and so what I needed to hear!! Thank you!
Meredith- thank you! <3
Hope you are doing well and cheering you on in the last weeks of your pregnancy!
Julie
Great post! So true. Thanks for the reminder that God is in control, and that He will see us through.
Alice- thank you for stopping by!
Julie
Hi Julie! What a great post! I hear you for sure on this one and you are so right. It can be hard to deal with. I am often reminded that He wants us to trust Him the way a child will trust a parent to catch them when they jump or at the bottom of a slide unless we have somehow broken that trust. We are fallible parents and He is not. Your site is attractive and inviting. So happy to meet you as your neighbor at Moments of Hope Linkup today!
Pam- thank you for the kind words! What a great image of the slide and God catching us.
Have a great week!
Glad to meet you too!
Julie
Love this, Julie! I’m a recovering member of that same club! 🙂 It’s something we must intentionally remind ourselves of each day, isn’t it? I love your illustrations here. Thank you so much for being a part of Moments of Hope! You are such a gift!
Blessings and smiles,
Lori
Lori- I wonder if the control issue is hard to shed, because we try to maintain control in the house? The laundry, cleaning, cooking etc is relatively controllable so we try to extend it to all areas? We try to fix everything, don’t we?
“Mommy fix this or fix that.”
You’re such an encourager to me! Thank you!
Have a great rest of the week!
Julie
Wow thanks for sharing this! I needed to read this. Thank you for allowing yourself to be used by God. ?? God keep blessing you Julie.
Naomi- you have encouraged me today! Blessings to you also!
Julie
It is absolutely music to my ears to know that God knows His path for me and where He is leading me. It reduces the pressure of having to get it “right” because God is so much bigger than my mistakes!
Melissa- I also find it comforting He knows the way. I just have to trust Him more 😉
I am everlastingly grateful that God has my back. He really has guided me through my life in ways that I could never have dreamed of.
Alice- How stressed and anxious I would be without God…perhaps that’s why anxiety is on the rise? People are trying to do life without God!