Control
February 14, 1999
Dear Friends,
Over the past few months, I have shared some thoughts with you on the subject of faith, joy and walk. We left off in this subject with the thought of the “illusion of control.” The idea is that we are responsible to do our best, but we must have faith that God will control the outcome. If we can strike this balance in our life, we will be more joyful.
While giving control to God may be very joyous, giving control to man can be extremely detrimental.
Everyone has heard someone say something like, “they make me so angry” or ”every time I am around them, I get upset.” The implication of the statement is that the person has some sense of control over you. If the response they elicit from you is positive, that is one thing. However, if the response they elicit from you is sinful, you have a problem.
The truth is that no one can control us without our consent. When we give in to negative feelings as a response to what someone says or does to us, it comes from our own heart. Jesus plainly taught this when he said “those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.” (Mark 15:18-20) If we blame our actions on others, we deny this plain scriptural teaching and the control that goes with it. Additionally, when we let others influence us negatively, we “lose control” of our emotions and therefore, our joy in Christ.
In Acts 16 we read concerning Paul and Silas the following: “And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.” The Greek word translated as “sang” has the implication of “celebration” to it. What is wrong with these people? Didn't they know they were supposed to be depressed, angry or frightened? Yet, Paul and Silas rejoiced! They were not going to let a little scourging, false imprisonment, injustice and sleeping in the stocks ruin their day. They were redeemed by the blood of a living Jesus. No one was going to take away their joy.
This is not to say that anger and sadness do not enter our lives. Jesus was both sad and angry and yet remained righteous. Yet, in every instance, his emotion came from concern over his Father or his disciples and not from personal injustice. This perspective allowed him to get angry at the hardness of heart of the Pharisees but remain silent in the face of the false accusers at his trial. Jesus never forfeited control over his emotions or his reaction to others.
God has given us control over important aspects of our lives. He has given us considerable control over what goes into our hearts and minds. We are fortunate to live in a place where we are given the right to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” If we use this liberty in Christ and liberty in our country of residence to pursue righteousness, we have ample opportunity to fill our hearts and minds with the things of the spirit.
God has also given us the ability through Jesus to overcome our flesh. Paul urges us in Gal. 5 to “walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” He then lists for us the works of the flesh and the fruit of the spirit. Perhaps this overcoming will not be complete until the Kingdom is established on earth, but it is true in a limited, but very real sense now. We can have the mind of Christ in us today. When we forfeit control of our emotions and our reactions to other people, we once again empower the flesh and lose our joy in Christ.
“Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven…”
Have a great week!
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