Control
“You tend to feel in control of your life when our wills are in harmony.” - God (via Sarah Young)
Control. Remember that feeling?
Life in sync. Options. Gatherings. Freedom. Routines.
Poof, eh?!
As my wife read our daily devotional, my heart perked up. …I can have a feeling of control simply by spending energy in aligning my will with the Father’s? Wow!
The context for the quote that Sarah wrote in 2004 says:
“On some days your will and Mine flow smoothly together. You tend to feel in control of your life when our wills are in harmony. On other days you feel as if you are swimming upstream, against the current of My purposes. When that happens, stop and seek My face. The opposition you feel may be from Me, or it may be from the evil one. Talk with Me about what you are experiencing. Let My Spirit guide you through treacherous waters.”
Now, in quarantine, the application is likely obvious. But what about when this blows over and life feels normal again?
And the grind of ministry ramps up
Your drummer shows up late again
Your vision is ever so slightly different than your pastor’s
You don’t quite know what songs to pick
You don’t feel supported by your audio tech
The congregation “just stands there”
You can’t get the right feel for the song at rehearsal
You don’t have a bass player
You question whether you have what it takes to be a worship leader
The vocalists don’t know how to sing the harmony
The team doesn’t respond to the PCO invite
The church bathroom is overstocked with TP
You know, normal life. (Sorry, I just had to add that last one)
What would it look like in those moments when you feel out of control, to stop and seek His face? Tell Him what you’re experiencing and be guided by the Holy Spirit?
For each of the examples above (or the ones your mind drifted to), what would it look like to ask the Father to align your will with His to bring a sense of peace, of control?
And what I love about this truth is that there’s a massive freedom we walk in when we completely trust Him. So much so that rather than even asking for situations to change, we begin channeling all our attention and focus on asking for His will to be done. It’s the freedom of letting go and trusting God in the truest way.
I love and hate moments like the one we’re in. I hate it because it’s hard, and I had plans! I love it because we’re in a global classroom of the Spirit. Not everyone knows it, but God is awakening His Bride and teaching us to pay attention.
Let Your kingdom come, Lord Jesus! Let Your will be one!
ps. Such a beautiful surrender…Control. There’s no better loss than to lose myself in You. There’s no better find than to find myself in You.
-Dave Helmuth
Author of the Five Faders and Founder of Ad Lib Music
Control (Nº 229)
