Spiritual guidance powered by AI and grounded in Scripture
Your Question:
What happens when I'm not in control?
Answer:
As a pastor, I've come to realize that we're not in control of our spiritual formation. It's a hard lesson to learn, but it's essential to understand that we can't control our circumstances or God's plans for our lives. However, we can intentionally design our lives to give Jesus free rein over our formation. This means arranging our days, routines, and habits to experience deep contentment, joy, and confidence in our everyday life with God. When we're not in control, it's essential to recognize that self-control is not about relying on personal willpower to control ourselves. Instead, it's a gift of the Holy Spirit, given through faith in Jesus Christ. Self-control is a side effect of the fear of the Lord, and it's not the same as self-dependence. When we focus on self-control as a means to improve ourselves, we may be relying on ourselves rather than on Jesus. As the Bible says, "Each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable" (1 Thessalonians 4:4). In my own life, I've learned that self-control is not about being in control, but about being controlled by God. When I'm not in control, I'm forced to rely on God's sovereignty and trust in His plans for my life. This is a liberating experience, and it's one that I've learned to cherish. As the Bible says, "You must arrange your days so that you are experiencing deep contentment, joy, and confidence in your everyday life with God" (John Ortberg). This is the key to living a life of self-control, not as a means to control ourselves, but as a means to surrender to God's control.
Sources:
practicing the way
john mark comer
mere christianity
c s lewis
addictions a banquet in the grave
edward t welch
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