Control Freak - Part 2

There is a level of arrogance involved with being in control. If you think your way is the best way and that you know better than anyone else and you can only trust yourself, it means that you don't think that anyone else could possibly know better than you. That is arrogant. That especially becomes a problem when God wants to use people to help you. Resisting anything that you are not in charge of or that you haven't instigated or planned, can block God from doing things in your life that you could never do for yourself. God is not here in the physical sense, He is here in the Spirit. He has to use people to carry out His will. So if you've ever prayed and asked God for something don't be surprised when He uses someone to do it. To receive from someone else takes humility and patience. Things may not be done your way, in your timing or to your standard but they will be done and just as good if not better than if you were to do them. In addition, it means less stress for you. Win, Win! Of course there are times when if you want something done properly you may have to do it yourself and it's true you cannot trust everybody to do a good job BUT this is where you have to be led by God. He will tell you what to do, when to do it and who to trust and when you need to let go and trust God. The truth is sometimes we just want to be in control because we want to be in on everything (ladies???). We just want to know the ins and outs. Be careful though, that you don't know the ins and outs of everyone else's life and know nothing about your own life. It's a tactic of the enemy to distract you! The other thing we must learn to do is allow people to make their own mistakes. We sometimes want to intervene but unless we allow people to go through their journey in life they will never learn valuable skills. Being used by God This is probably the number one area that will suffer if you have to be in control the whole time. God thinks, acts and operates differently to us, often in a way that does not make sense to us. If you have to have everything make sense you will never allow God to move or use you. Moreover, if you have to have everything be convenient for you it just won’t happen. God will choose the least convenient times and places! But we are instructed to die to ourselves when we come to God and to live fully for Him, which means completely giving Him the reins. We must say, like John the Baptist said, 'Less of me Lord and more of You'. (John 3:30) What do you have to let go of today? What are you holding on to so tightly that you are stifling? Is it a relationship with a loved one, a position at work? A regimented religious routine or a daily pattern that you must have uninterrupted or undisturbed to be able to function? Have you relied on your own little methods for comfort, security and control? Who have you overlooked when God has asked you to minister and where have you not allowed God to use you because it was getting in the way of your life? Today is the day to say 'Not my will be done Lord, but yours' (Luke 22:42). Today, control what you can but surrender what you can't and trust wholeheartedly that God will come through. Proverbs 3:5-6 (The Message) Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; He’s the one who will keep you on track. Don’t assume that you know it all. Have a blessed rest of the week. Oceans