Control? Or Liberty
One of the great myths of modern day Christianity is that of a controlling God. Whether the day is going badly or the horrendous has happened, the platitude "God is in control" abounds.
My sweet friend Marilynn, from our Ladies By Design writing group gave me food for thought during a discussion about control. Control is self centered manipulation of people and circumstances to reach a desired outcome- sometimes through the compromising of values. Most often control is rooted in fear. God, however, is not fearful. Nor is God self centered.
God is the embodiment of unselfish, unconditional love. He has no need to "control".
Consider the flowers in the field, Marilynn urged. God created the seed, set in motion the processes of wind dispersal and weather systems, providing soil and seasons, rain and sun. Yet God does not force the flower to bloom. He invites the seed to die, to germinate, to put down roots into fertile soil, to grow and blossom. So, too with us.
This life is unpredictable- uncontrollable, really. Some seasons more than others. Still, in the midst of chaos and difficulty, God does not control. Rather, He urges me to draw near to Him and allow him to walk the broken road with me- comforting, helping, strengthening, and yes, sometimes carrying. My task? To respond to the invitation and nestle in.
I am finding that life often gives me much more than I can handle. In the midst of all this, God longs to gather me into moment by moment relationship. The bad days, the heart breaking diagnoses, even the losses, these are opportunities to be cradled by the One who IS love.
It's not about control, or agendas, or even personal growth- though growth is a by product of a life entwined with Love. We were created for relationship- and anything less leaves me incomplete. Wherever I am, whether life is going the way I would have chosen or not, the invitation stands. I have the opportunity to choose. Will I stumble on, sparring for control, or be liberated by the Lover of My Soul?
~Just Me
My sweet friend Marilynn, from our Ladies By Design writing group gave me food for thought during a discussion about control. Control is self centered manipulation of people and circumstances to reach a desired outcome- sometimes through the compromising of values. Most often control is rooted in fear. God, however, is not fearful. Nor is God self centered.
God is the embodiment of unselfish, unconditional love. He has no need to "control".
Consider the flowers in the field, Marilynn urged. God created the seed, set in motion the processes of wind dispersal and weather systems, providing soil and seasons, rain and sun. Yet God does not force the flower to bloom. He invites the seed to die, to germinate, to put down roots into fertile soil, to grow and blossom. So, too with us.
This life is unpredictable- uncontrollable, really. Some seasons more than others. Still, in the midst of chaos and difficulty, God does not control. Rather, He urges me to draw near to Him and allow him to walk the broken road with me- comforting, helping, strengthening, and yes, sometimes carrying. My task? To respond to the invitation and nestle in.
I am finding that life often gives me much more than I can handle. In the midst of all this, God longs to gather me into moment by moment relationship. The bad days, the heart breaking diagnoses, even the losses, these are opportunities to be cradled by the One who IS love.
It's not about control, or agendas, or even personal growth- though growth is a by product of a life entwined with Love. We were created for relationship- and anything less leaves me incomplete. Wherever I am, whether life is going the way I would have chosen or not, the invitation stands. I have the opportunity to choose. Will I stumble on, sparring for control, or be liberated by the Lover of My Soul?
~Just Me
All my life I struggled with faith, because of the concept of an all-controlling God. I couldn't conceive of a powerful God who would allow horrible things to happen to his creatures. It wasn't until a pastor explained to me that God allows free will, but stands by us to comfort and help us through life, that I finally understood. "Let Go and Let God" may not be entirely appropriate for this conversation, but it helps me immensely, both to understand faith and to live it.
ReplyDeleteThis is a concept so many I know have struggled with- including me. Some may try to explain it away with "It's all part of God's plan." But I see it very much the way the pastor explained it to you. There are painful places in this life, yet only the God who embodies love can take what the enemy intends for evil and transform it. I am learning that God loves to bring beauty from ashes. Thanks so much for sharing!
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