For as long as i can remember, I have tried to stay in control of every aspect of my life. I've always been a bit of a control freak, with some OCD tendencies, and still to this day feel very strongly that I am "in the right" most of the time. And being in control definately has its pros, Im not gonna lie. Knowing, or atleast thinking you know, whats going on all the time, being able to plan your life day to day, week to week, month to month, etc. The problem with being in control is, atleast the biggest problem, is when things dont go according to your plan. And lets face it, you cant make a plan for ANYTHING without something going wrong!! And when you're the one in control, you carry all the burden of fixing the plan, adjusting what your doing, and still trying to get to the outcome that you've planned out. Do this day in and day out, fixing adjusting planning fixing adjusting planning, this becomes a vicious cycle that leads to an extraordinary amount of stress, frustration, and feelings of failure when you just can get your plans to work out the way you want them too. When you live like this, you tend to walk through life the way I did for years. Constantly upset and frustrated because things arent going how YOU want, saying things like, "why is this happening to me?" Constantly worrying about making your plans work out, and in doing so, missing out on all the lessons and blessings that are happening all around you! Imagine for a moment what it would be like to wake up, go through your day, and know that everything is going to be ok, you dont have to worry with every little detail, just enjoy all your blessings, and live your live free of the kind of stress that can just destroy your life, physically, mentally and emotionally. Sounds impossible, but this is exactly how my life has been for a little while now. Ive been slowly getting there since accepting Jesus into my heart as my Lord and Savior. Because when I did this, I accepted the fact the God had a plan for me, and I am in His hands. I was on a journey to this point as I learned and accepted more from the Bible, but it really hit high gear and has become my way of living during a sermon from our preacher, Barry Yates, a while back. Before we get to that, let me give you a little backstory about my journey. I was raised in a Christian home with a solid Christian family. In fact, I would put money on my Ma-Maw against pretty much anyone in a challenge about anything and everything related to Christianity and the Bible. The woman reads her bible cover to cover every single year! But back on track, I have always believed in God, I knew he was real, I knew about Jesus, but I wasnt living my life for Jesus. I believed, but didnt have time for Him. Was too busy living MY life, working MY plans. And my mom had been asking me forever, come to church with me son. And I always just brushed her off. I might step into church around Christmas, or Easter, you know, the "important" Sundays. And to this day, I remember having a conversation with my mother asking me one Saturday to come to church Sunday. My response, "Mom, I dont have time for church! Im busy, Ive got work, softball, kids, etc. How am I supposed to squeeze church time in there?" She said to me, "Son, you need to make time for Him, or He will slow you down." Yeah yeah yeah, ok. Monday night I tore my biceps tendon from my elbow playing softball. Surgery, 5-6 months recovery, out of work until then, "Why God, why have you done this to me!!" Sound familiar? Needless to say, after a month or so of moping around the house with my arm in a cast, mom asked again, wanna come to church with me? Why not, what else am I gonna do! Needless to say, I became hooked you can say. Fell in love with Jesus, accepted him, have missed very few Sundays since. And I began to accept that Im NOT in control. God is always in control. And he has a plan for all of us. Now Im certainly not saying that if you dont believe in God, or dont answer His call, that he's going to tear your biceps, thats just what was necessary in my case to get my attention. It was in His plan. And I have looked at many events in my life looking back over the years and "seen the Light" that God had a plan for me all along. And I began to accept that I cant control everything. But as I stated earlier, this thought process and way of living really hit high gear a while back, when Preacher Barry talked to us about the difference between believing in God, and Trusting God. The analogy he used, and Im gonna steal from him, was if you have a good friend who tells you, "I can walk a tightrope while carrying someone on my back." Say you've known them a long time, theyve always been honest, you have always believed them and they never let you down, so if he says he can do it, I believe him, I believe he could do it. This is how many people tend to view God and Jesus. They believe in Him, they believe he did all the things that are said he did. But do you TRUST him. Say your friend who you BELIEVE can walk a tightrope, suddenly needs to carry YOU across a tightrope! You believe he can do it, but do you trust him to do it? See, to get from believe to trust, you must give up control! You can believe all you want and remain in control of your life, but to trust, you mush give up control and put it in someone elses hands. See, when you TRUST God, no matter what kinks get thrown into your life, you can simply say, "Ok God, what are you trying to show me here? What do you want me to do?" No longer are you the one with the burden of fixing, or getting back to your plan! Simply let go, accept that God has a plan for you, and ask that question when plans change!, "God, what do you want me to do? What are you trying to show me?" If you do this, you release the stranglehold that stress has over your life! Because youre not in control! You are a pawn in God's plan, just be available for what he wants you to do, and you will always be exactly where you are supposed to be, doing what you are supposed to be doing! Im trying to help my wife get to his point, because she is a bit of a worrier. And Im constantly telling her, "Honey, just pray about it, and be available for whatever God has planned for you." She is getting there, and you can to. Just let go, ask God "What do you want me to do here?" And when you feel something you cant explain tugging on your heart and mind, maybe something as simple as the thought crossing your mind, "I should give my friend Stephanie a call", dont just brush it off, be available to what God wants, and you will find that you are doing exactly what God wants you to be doing! You will find crazy things happening, like calling someone just when they really needed it, or tearing your biceps tendon and later finding out that it was exactly what you needed, or missing a trip somewhere, then getting to help someone out who needed it. Happens all the time, and its no coincidence! Its all in His divine plan! So try letting go, be available, and experience what "Living Free" can be when you truly TRUST GOD!
