I am a “fixer”. If I see a problem, my first thought is OK, what do I need to do to get this taken care of so we can get on with life. Well, maybe that is describing me nicer than it should. To be honest, I am a control freak. I like to be in control of my circumstances and if I’m not, I’m not what you might call a “happy camper”.
I think there are times when being a control freak can be good; such as times when things are in disarray and someone needs to take charge and get things organized. I do not like it when things are done half-way and are unorganized. My grandmother had a saying about this that I believe should have been in the Bible. She would often say, "Once a task has begun, never leave it till it's done. Whether it be great or small, do it well or not at all." Because these words sum up what I believe, some have called me a perfectionist...I prefer to call myself “detail- orientated”!
While there are positives to being a control freak, there are also many negatives. The biggest one I have found is that it is often hard for me to allow the Lord to have complete control of my life. It is easy for me to fall into the trap of believing that my way is best and that I can do things on my own, without the Lord’s direction and guidance. Of course, this path usually lands me in the middle of a battle that I can’t win on my own and I have to go running back to the One that truly is in charge.
In some ways, I think the pandemic made it harder on control-freak people like me. Suddenly, all of us were thrown into circumstances where everywhere we turned…we were being told what we could and couldn’t do. We couldn’t go where we wanted to go…see people we wanted to see…or even buy what we needed to buy because of hoarding and shortages. Life as we knew it instantly changed and so many things we thought we had control of…wasn’t in our grasp anymore.
The positive to this past year has been that it has been hard on control-freak people like me. Yes, you may need to re-read that sentence again. The same circumstances that were very difficult for someone like me…were also good for me. Each event has been a reminder that as much as I think I’m in control…I’m not…and thankfully…this world is not my home. If my focus and my trust is in this world…it will inevitably let me down, but my Jesus never will!
There is a verse in Exodus 14:14 that many are familiar with which says, “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” What a wonderful promise. I have the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings ready and willing to take charge and direct my every step; even during a pandemic. I just have to hand over the reins to Him. I have to be willing to stop being a control freak and just be a Jesus freak instead!
What about you? Has this past year stretched you in ways that you really didn’t want to be stretched? Maybe, like me, it has shown you areas of your life where you need to realize that you aren’t supposed to be the one in control anyway…only Jesus should have that responsibility and fortunately…nothing from this past year caught Him by surprise.
Let’s spend some time this week in once again “being still” and focusing on the One who is in charge. Maybe then, we will start to loosen our grip and allow Him to take over the reins of our life…whether there is a pandemic or not.
Don’t forget, if you would like to join me in my study of the book of James, you can find my YouTube channel, Image Seeker, at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0szlDSgNBtFuzzNLBWzwMA. I posted another teaching video this morning, “Are you a SNOB?” Check it out!
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