You Have Two Options

I spend most of my days living in a fantasy world. In this world, I actually have control over most of my life. It is quite lovely:) I have a hunch you live in a similar fantasy world, too.

The last few days have been a sobering reminder that I have very little control over my life. Nothing crazy happened, just a series of small, ordinary things has reminded me that my fantasy world is just that, a fantasy.

When reality comes crashing in, and we are made aware of our lack of control, we have two options. To hold on tighter to the illusion of control or to let go and surrender our lives to God’s love. I often gravitate towards the first option, although my deeper desire is to surrender my life to God’s transforming love. I have another hunch that I am not alone in this struggle.

I invite you to PAUSE with me today.

Take a few deep breaths in and out.

Pray: Holy Spirit, as I PAUSE, I invite you to still my mind, body, and soul.

My mind and heart have been drawn to Psalm 46 over the past few days. You may be familiar with the famous line, “Be still and know that I am God.”

That line comes at the end of the prayer, after God’s people are rebuked for grasping for control.

PAUSE.

What comes before, Be still and know that I am God, in your prayer? Name the situation, the set of circumstances, the relationship, whatever it may be that you are trying to control. Confess it to God.

PAUSE.

Breathe.

Pray: Lord, with open hands, I hold my fantasy world of control before you. Help me to surrender my desire for control and let your love still my mind, body, and soul as I am swept up into your transforming love. May these areas I hold before you be used as a tool by you to form me more and more into a person of love.

PAUSE.

Carry this stillness with you today. Not into your fantasy world, but into your actual life.

Grace and Peace.

P.S. I wrote this while sitting in the window seat in the last row of a full 5-hour flight. Talk about a lack of control. Insert face palm emoji.