Control Freak
We all want to be successful and independent. Nobody likes to be dependent on other people or things. Why? Because we like to be in control. We all want to control our lives and feel like we have a say in what happens to us.
Being driven makes it hard to depend on anything or anyone else. We like to be in the driver’s seat. As a society, we are a bunch of control freaks. And when we are not in control, it makes us crazy. Have you ever felt this way? Maybe you’ve experienced a major change in your life and you have felt out of control. It caused you to have to depend on others for help.
Right now the season that Kayla and I are in is one of complete dependence on God. We can do our part, but in the end, God is the one who is in control. He has to multiply our efforts and there are certain things that only He can do. Honestly, that’s not easy for someone like me. I’m the kind of person that likes to get to work and make things happen, but in this particular season, God is the one who has to make it happen. I can get to work, but God has to make things happen.
Here’s the thing: when it comes to our lives as followers of Christ, we completely depend on Jesus. This is hard for us as believers because we like our faith to be a bunch of clean boxes that we can check off a list. Dos and don’ts that we can neatly place a check beside. This makes it very easy for us to control our life as a believer, and it puts us in the driver’s seat.
This is where I think the mentality of the Jews was in the time of Jesus, living according to their dos and don’ts. The Law. They were in control. Then Jesus comes on the scene and he says, “ Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:5 NLT).” This means we are completely dependent on Jesus to be fruitful. Apart from Him, we lose connection and we are ultimately unfruitful. It’s all Him. We have to give up control and remain in Him. We can do nothing on our own.
This is incredibly hard for a bunch of control freaks who think if I wake up every morning and grind then I can make it happen. We can’t make it happen. Apart from Jesus, we can do nothing.
At some point, we all have to give up control and abide in Jesus. We can bring our 5 loaves and 2 fishes, but it is Jesus who has to multiply it.
