Control

Turning 15 was a great day for me. I will never forget planning for that special birthday. I felt it was the day I could take some control of my life. The one thing I can say for sure is that I studied for my driving test. Funny, I bet there are not many 15 year olds who fail that first written test. It was June 26, a warm summer day, and I was up very early and dressed ready to go to the DMV. I could hardly wait.

Walking out after that test with a driver’s permit in hand was a huge right of passage. I felt free, a sense of independence and control that I had never had. The day I could get my restricted license was even better. I remember breathing such a deep breath. I was so proud and felt so grown up. I loved everything about being able to gain some freedom and control in my life by being able to drive myself and take myself places. I loved it.

Just recently while visiting our daughter in Athens, I happily threw her boyfriend, Mike, the keys so that he could drive us out for dinner. Now on the Back 9, I readily allow someone I trust to have control and drive me where I want to go. Driving myself is just not that big of a deal anymore. I also have realized that neither my kids, Mike, nor Bill particularly care for my driving! Even though they cannot argue over the fact that I have the best driving record in the family when you look at wrecks, dents, and speeding tickets. I am proud of that record! …..Just saying!

With that being said, it doesn’t change the fact that nobody really likes it when I drive them around. It is one battle where I don’t mind waving the white flag and relinquishing the keys and the wheel. Driving is about control. I have seen it a lot lately as we have encouraged my parents not to drive, my mother just a few years ago, and now we offer to drive my dad where he wants to go. If you know my dad, this has NOT been an easy task. Giving up control of something you have done for years is just not easy to do.

Control is a funny thing in the game of golf. Recently our son Thomas played in a tournament in Charleston. On the final day the wind was howling. Every day I would send him an encouraging word, and on that windy day I sent, “God controls the wind but isn’t it great he allows us to choose our thoughts?” I was reminding him that in golf, especially when conditions are tough, the one thing you can do is control how you allow yourself to think! I am a firm believer, and so is Thomas, that your mind can be a vital weapon.

The word here I really want to look at is control. Giving up control of our lives to Christ and surrendering to His will and His plan to some may be scary and seem crazy. I love how we get to choose….Christ doesn’t force Himself upon us. As in driving a car and enjoying the freedom that it brings….after a while of driving…..and driving….I have figured out having a chauffeur isn’t a bad thing.

In life I love having God do the driving. After all, His GPS is perfect; it never takes a wrong turn. I don’t even have to tell Him where to go, He already knows. My job is to get in the car and NOT be a “back seat driver”! When it comes to my thoughts, well, God’s Word tells us to take every thought captive ….In other words, one of the few things we do have control over is what we choose to think about. The enemy doesn’t want us to be focused on Christ or His Word. HE wants us to focus on our circumstances, good or bad. IF he can get us focused on our circumstances, he can keep us in bondage to pride, self-imposed confidence, among others, if things are good, or in bondage to worry, fear or anxiety if things are bad.

Let’s just look at scripture that tells us about the Ultimate Chauffeur…who has the PERFECT GPS:

Luke 17:33, “Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it.” We don’t have to look at any other scripture to know what we should do about Control of our own lives being given over to Jesus.

Job 12:10, “In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.” God is in control whether we surrender or not.

Proverbs 19:21 “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.” …….PERFECT GPS.

Matthew 19:26, “but Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.'” We can’t do a life of significance well without God!

You see, we give up control to GAIN CONTROL. No one can be good enough or earn the right to have God as the Chauffeur of your life by doing good things. It is free…It only requires us to relinquish control…Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through FAITH, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

Go ahead, throw God the keys! TRUST HIS PERFECT NAVIGATION OF YOUR LIFE…….HE HAS THIS!

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *