Taking Control of Your Life

The practical considerations of taking control of our lives shouldn’t be thought of as thwarting God’s purposes to the end of our disobedience. On the contrary, we ought to take control of our lives, making out of them testimonies of glory to God’s faithfulness. We do this by receiving our call and living it out as God’s workmanship, created to do good works (Ephesians 2:10).

The opportunity, then, is to take control of our lives; to not be swept along by the currents of ambivalence and indifference (James 1:7-8).

That is, with courage, we wrest control from the would-be thugs commanding our attention and dictating our response. And we don’t underestimate the power we, also, exert over ourselves to inflict a merciless level of thuggery to satisfy our own fear for exposure—especially before others. Why would we be both master and slave, where the slave is both abused and neglected? Why be master when we can, otherwise, follow the perfect Master? Following the Master, Jesus, we are thankful slaves and fully in control of the lives God now gives us. Following the Master is about seeking and knowing our purpose.

Taking control of our lives is, first, about knowing where we stand.

Knowing Where We Stand

Almost as important as being in control of our lives is in knowing where we stand. If we are floundering it’s best to know. It’s only when we acknowledge the issue we can do anything about it.

We can begin to plan; to schedule an assault on the wresting of control.

Knowing where we stand is a critical input in planning the better way; in knowing what needs to be done.

We have everything to live for; to make the most of life. But we also know when to apply patience—to not lose sight of the overall picture of what God’s doing in and through us. We keep the faith regarding that vision.

Knowing where we stand is also crucial in not getting ahead of ourselves.

We most probably have a humble role to play—but we play it as well as we are able. This process of existence from birth to death seems long, yet it doesn’t compare with the scope ahead for eternity. Even in a life requiring less of us than we are prepared to give, we give—and gratefully, to boot.

Making a Stand – Right Here, Right Now

Taking control of our lives is probably most accurately about a repetitive practice.

Over and again we will be required to take the reins and rise in ascendancy. Upon each day, and many moments throughout, is borne the opportunity. We prepare and we wait, for the time comes unexpectedly and urgently.

Making a stand is the requirement. Knowing when and how to make that stand is the key. Only we, guided by our discernment of the will of God, can know these things.

Only we can choose.

God is with us, not against us.

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When we take control of our lives—aligning our thoughts, words and deeds to the will of God—our hearts pound with passion, our minds are stimulated, and our souls are nourished. We live by faith in accord with the truth. And, what’s more, we please God.

© 2012 S. J. Wickham.