Sunday, February 17, 2013
Control
So I had planned to take some time to blog about my long run today. It was quite comical! But after church tonight my thoughts are swirling and I thought I would process them here. It is about CONTROL. So I couldn't resist sharing a little old school Janet with you! The video is a little lengthy so read first and dance after.
We were talking about the story of Jesus and the events that led up to his death. To some it may have seen out of control and chaotic, however the entire time God was in control. There was purpose and intention in something that didn't make sense at the time.
Control. It is a funny thing. Something that at some point in our lives we all chase after. I have even had times in my life that I actually 'thought' I was in control. This always proves to be an illusion. Then those life events happen that make you drop to your knees and make you question why. As many of you know I have been there...more than once.
In the running/fitness world it seems that everyone has a PLAN. A plan to get faster. A plan to get thinner. A plan to eat clean. Plan. Plan. Plan. There seems to be a recipe to fix everything. I have to do XYZ to make sure I have this under control.However injuries still happen, health issues arise and we all stuggle with dissapointments and failure. I am not a big planner. I am kind on the other end. I procrastinate and I am definitely on the "wing it" end of the spectrum.
Let's start with the "I did it" idea. My pastor was not talking about running but we all know how easy it is to relate life to running. So here is my spin on it.
There are different types of thinking.
"I am who I am because I work hard. I did this. I put in the blood, sweat and tears. I achieved this.
Defining yourself in this way can leave you living with the constant weight and effort of maintaining that. This can lead to unhealthy extremes. It can lead to desperate people. Can you relate to this? Can you think of someone you know caught in this cycle?
OR
If you believe "everything" is given to you by God (your gifts & talents) then when things change or don't go your way you do not abandon your beliefs and principles. You do not have to say...I guess I did not work hard enough or only if I has lost those last 5 pounds...or If only I had done this then I would have _______....you get the drift. Instead you rest in His plan.
Bottom line the sermon ended on "Do you think God is big enough?" The question was posed..."Can you be a person of peace despite your circumstances? Ouch...this hits close to home. Going along with plans, people and relationships that we don't understand or "like"? Ouch again.
It made me think about a few things that I am letting steal my peace. Man, I love a good sermon. I mean I love a good finish line and miles and miles of sweat are satisfying, but NOTHING satisfies like time with God.
I left thinking about all the things I have given over to God and the many things that I struggle to let go of. I am scared but I know where my HOPE lays.
What are you missing or sacrificing chasing control?
I would love to hear your thoughts.
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4 comments:
Boy Harmony....spoke right to my heart with this one! I am absolutely giving up peace for the quest of control....if only I could do more then everything would be perfect! Thank you for the wake up!!
Great thoughts. I struggle with that thinking mentioned (I...I...I...). Instead, I'd like to be able to give it up and say, "This is ALL from God." Thanks so much for the reminder.
ohhh I love this. I am doing a study right now called "No other Gods" and there is something similar in it as in the sermon you heard. The angle is different but the same I think. The book is about identifying our modern day idols and learning how to destroy them and make God our one and only! The author mentions the idea of relying on ourselves and she said something about "If I am the one to rely on for everything then that sounds like a frightening place to be" Anyway I loved this post and the reminder that we are not in control and that is just fine. It is with faith and peace we can move in our days.
This post is really good and soo true. With me its my marriage, especially now since its tough. I think if my parents hadn't split when I was young and I hadn't been married and divorced before I think it would be easier to not fear the worse and then control. But if I lost everything before why shouldn't I give it to God? He does work all things to our good if we trust in Him and find our hope and purpose in Him. Jesus followed the Fathers will for His life,death and resurrection and He is our example. Very inspiring Harmony, thanks for posting, I really needed this.
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