You Are Not In Control

Some of the most difficult life lessons to learn are the ones where you are forced to reckon with the truth that you are not in charge of a lot of very important things.  For example...  

You are not in charge of your time.  All it takes is one crisis and you'll find that what you thought was your time wasn't yours at all.  

You are not in charge of the outcomes.  Try as you might, you aren't going to be able to make everything turn out exactly the way you want it to--no matter what it is.  

You are not in charge of the actions of others.  If you've ever been a car accident caused by someone else, you know what I'm talking about here.  

We try so hard to be in charge of everything in our lives, don't we?  And we're shocked and surprised when we realize just how out of control we really are.  

But it's in those moments that we finally admit our frailty and surrender to God and God's plans for us (despite not understanding completely what those might be) that we begin to see that there are some things we can control.  

First, we can control the way we react to being out of control.  We don't need to rail against it.  We don't need to grow angry and bitter.  We don't need to feel sorry for our lot in life.  

We just simply need to be at peace and trust that the One who holds our future, is also holding us in his tender, loving-kindness, and mercy.  

Second, we can control what we do next when we realize that we are out of control.  We can stay right where we are, or we can step forward in courage. We can become immobilized by fear and dread, or we can take action and know that God is with us.  

There's a certain kind of freedom that comes from finally admitting that you aren't in charge.  I recently read a poem by Mark Nepo that captures it beautifully.  
Stripped of causes and plans
and things to strive for,
I have discovered everything
I could need or ask for
is right here--
in flawed abundance.  
May you find peace in relinquishing control and letting God guide your life.  May you find courage and joy in stepping forward to follow where God is leading you without fear.  And may the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you now and always. Amen.  






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