Releasing Control

Releasing Control
LYSA TERKEURST

“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7 (NIV)

Fear is something I battle constantly.

I have to work at not living in the harshness of the worst-case scenario. When I’m triggered by a small fear, instead of taming that thought, I feed it. I magnify it. I let it dictate my reaction. Everything gets blown way out of proportion because I convince myself that only my created protection will help me avoid the worst-case scenario.

When my daughter Hope was 15 years old, she announced she wanted to spend her summer with a missionary family in a remote village in Ethiopia. The minute she told us what she wanted to do, my mind started racing through all the scenarios of dangerous possibilities, from her plane crashing, to getting kidnapped, to contracting a life-threatening illness far from medical help. Fear overwhelmed my emotions so I couldn’t hear any of the details she was sharing. I just quickly and sternly said, “Absolutely not!”

She kept trying to plead her case, but I shut her down and kept saying no.

I could see the hurt and confusion sitting heavily on her. And that look on her face kept popping into my mind over and over. I felt utterly conflicted. I wanted what was best for her, but my fear kept overriding any consideration I had of letting her go. I wanted to protect her, but my desire turned into control the moment I refused to pray and seek God about it. Anytime I want my way more than wisdom, I stop checking my desires with God and easily go astray.

We distrust God when we are fearful of losing control.

When we try to take control, we ultimately leave no room for God to be God.

Eventually, I felt God tugging at my heart with this thought, “The safest place for your daughter is in the center of God’s will.”

Though I was still afraid and anxious, I slowly opened my heart to the possibility of her going on this trip. Granted, my fears were not unfounded. But as I released control of the situation, I gained a deeper sense of trusting God. If the door opened for Hope to go, I wouldn’t let my fear keep her back.

Have you ever done something similar, taking a concern and turning it into a big, all-caps FEAR?

For me, when fear emerges in my heart, it tends to feed my doubts. Before I know it, I’m attempting to control things to get my fear under control. This is when I’ve learned I must respond to my fear in faith, based on what God’s Word says.

And what does God’s Word have to say about fear?

“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7).

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10, NIV).

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7, NIV).

That summer missions trip did more to grow Hope’s faith in God than anything else she’d ever experienced. God had a plan, and I’m so grateful my desire to control fearful situations didn’t derail that experience.

Though this story about Hope happened almost 10 years ago, I think about that situation as other fears in my life emerge. Using God’s truth and remembering His faithfulness from that experience has helped me fight my fear in other circumstances.

I don’t know which worst-case scenarios are trying to steal your peace right now, sweet friend. But I do know this: God is in total control and holds our very lives in His hands.

Father God, thank You for reminding me that the safest place to be is always in the center of Your will. I’m releasing control to You today, choosing to remember and believe that You are good, and I can trust You at all times. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Psalm 34:4, “I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.” (NIV)

Proverbs 14:26, “Whoever fears the LORD has a secure fortress, and for their children it will be a refuge.” (NIV)

Our Heart's Desires

Our Heart's Desires

By Dr. Charles Stranley

Psalms 145:17-21

If you could have anything in the world, what would it be? Your answer reveals a lot about who you are. The psalmist writes, "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart" (Ps. 37:4). There is nothing wrong with desires--they motivate us to achieve great things. But not all of our yearnings come from God.

Consider your aspirations and what they say about who you are:

Do you hope for a position of authority in order to be in control? Longing for personal advancement in order to manipulate others reveals a lack of integrity, whereas a godly person craves righteousness.

Do you dream about wealth and fame? Perhaps there's a void in your spirit that you're trying to fill. But only God can meet the insatiable needs of the human heart.

Are you afraid to ask the Lord for what you want? Maybe you think He won't listen, but God tells us to approach His throne with boldness and confidence (Heb. 4:16).

If the Lord doesn't respond affirmatively to your prayers, ask Him to make your desires conform to His will. Whatever you do, don't take matters into your own hands and go after what you want. There is always a high price to pay for rebelling against God.

God cares for us bountifully, but that doesn't mean we can expect Him to deliver whatever we want, whenever we want it. Only when our dreams align with His plan for our lives does He fulfill them. The thoughts that preoccupy us are an accurate barometer of the state of our relationship with Christ.

A Prayer for Atonement

A Prayer for Atonement
By Greg Laurie

For your name's sake, O LORD, pardon my iniquity, for it is great. - Psalms 25:11  

Peter couldn’t take it anymore. He had watched His Lord’s anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane. He had watched the group of soldiers come to arrest Him. So he took out his sword, took a swing, and removed the ear of the high priest’s servant.

In a way, I understand Peter’s frustration. Had I been in the same situation, I might have done the same thing. We might almost commend Peter for his heroism and bravery. But in reality, Jesus did not do that at all. He told Peter to put the sword away. Poor Peter. He couldn’t seem to get it right. He always seemed to be doing the wrong thing at the wrong time. He was sleeping when he should have been praying. He was talking when he should have been listening. He was boasting when he should have been fearing. Now he was fighting when he should have been surrendering. He always had it turned upside down. You see, Peter failed to see that he was fighting the wrong enemy.

Our enemies are not flesh and blood, the Bible says, but principalities and powers. And they cannot be defeated by ordinary measures. Far too often we take things into our own hands and try to assist God, to sort of help Him out a little. And far too often we do not pull out the most powerful weapon in our arsenal, which is prayer, and use it in these times of battle.

As Christians, we are too quick to protest and not quick enough to pray. We are too quick to picket and not quick enough to preach and focus on what God has primarily called us to do. We need to realize that we are fighting a spiritual battle. Therefore, we need to use spiritual weaponry.

Heavenly father, we are all your children, and you love us in a way we can hardly fathom. Help us to see past the issues that divide us, and see one another with eyes free of hate. We have sinned. We have struck at our brothers and sisters with malice in our heart. We have made enemies of others while claiming to be your disciples. Help us to atone for these sins, and remember to love our neighbors and we love ourselves. Amen.