He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will." (NKJV)
It struck me, the other day, that the ultimate sin–the foundational mindset that causes us to sin–is a matter of control. We sin because we want to control . . . to control our circumstances, to control those around us, to control our future. We win because we want some thing rather than being willing to let God and trust God to give us what He wants.
The Bible talks about us having control, but that control isn’t over what happens to us, but rather is over our reactions to what happens to us. It’s called self-control. Self-control is defined as “restraint exercised over one’s own impulses, emotions, or desires.” We are not only called, but commanded, to exercise self-control. Why? Because if we don’t, if we allow our impulses, emotions, or desires to have full reign, then we are refusing to trust God to provide for us. We want what we want when we want it! And that’s not how it works as a Christian.
Change is very difficult for most of us. We don’t like having others decide where we will live, what we will do, where we will go. We want to have our say, to have our voices heard in what will happen to us. But I’m beginning to wonder if that isn’t simply a form of rebellion. Don’t we believe that God will work out everything for our good (Romans 8:28)? And if we do believe that, then what does it matter what people do with us or to us? I know that I spend a lot of time and energy worrying about the decisions that other people make that affect me and yet, in truth, those decisions are unimportant. If I trust God, then I know that He is working out things for my good. I don’t need to worry about what’s happening around me. “In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” (Psalm 56:11 NKJV). The fact is that nothing can happen to me that God doesn’t see or that He hasn’t already made a provision for. I don’t need to be afraid when times look dark. What can anyone do to me? I have put my trust in God! He controls my future!
Jeremiah 29:11 Liv: “For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
© 2010 Robin L. O’Hare. All rights reserved. Permission granted for nonprofit and church groups to use this article in its entirety (including this notice). For other uses, please contact servinggodalone@yahoo.com.
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