No Control

Once again this morning I am reminded of how little control I have over life, and, how most of the things I thought I was in control of, really, I wasn't.  And thank God I wasn't because the course that I was taking was not nearly as amazing as that of God. 

I know, O Lord, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps.  Jeremiah 10:23

I feel, or more appropriately, know that at the top of the list of challenges for all people, including myself, is that of giving up the reins of life.  Knowing that God loves me and always has my best interest, now but more importantly, in the future, in mind when he laid out my life path.  However, when you're standing in a room full of horse manure, many times it's hard to recognize that somewhere there is a horse!

Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self controlled; set your hopes fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.  1Peter 1:13

It is in the mind that the battle for control takes place and 1 Peter says it eloquently.  Open your mind to see what is possible for your life and be prepared to take action on the nudgings and directives of the Holy Spirit.  Take control of the one thing you can control, your mind, so that you might live according to the greatest commandments.  And lastly, keep your eyes focused on Jesus and the unending, undeserved blessings that he has for you.

While control of life and the circumstances set before us can never be controlled, I often feel that the Lord is watching my response to them.  For when I live, controlling my thoughts and actions accordingly, even the darkest, scariest and most fearful of circumstances can be survived by keeping our eyes on the Lord and our mind open to the leading of the Holy Spirit.