Control

I was watching some TV show and one of the characters had gone through some pretty difficult situations and was recognizing that in life she must yield up control. 

Yup, me too. 

I too need to learn to yield up control. I control what I say and do so that people will be happy with me. I control what I wear and what I look like to gain the approval of others. I control the skills that I have and the work that I do so that everyone will know that I am a good nurse. I control whatever I can. 

And then it comes crashing down. The stress of that kind of self-inflicted responsibility only causes anxiety and fear. Because the reality is that I have no control. But unlike the character in the show I was watching I don't just yield control to the fates. I can yield up control to Someone who loves me! Jesus came to rescue us from the folly of ourselves. He is my Savior (and oh, how desperately I need a Savior!) But He is also my Lord. He is the King of Kings and the Lord of lords. He is the Eternal One. Colossians says that: " For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together." 

I don't need to hold it together because He is holding all things together. And daily I need to preach this message to myself that "His grace is sufficient for me." When I yield control to Him I place my appearance, my reputation, my job, my future, my life in His hands. I don't need to get it right all the time. I don't even need to be the perfect Christian. Jesus saved me knowing full well that I would mess up and that I would fail. He knows my weaknesses and He loves me anyways. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

So Lord, I pray that I would learn to rest in Your grace, to trust in Your plan and remember that You are the One who holds it all together! 

Amen!