As the presidential campaign continues to spiral along, nothing seems off limits or shocking anymore. From derogatory comments made about entire races, to the refusal to disclose public documents, to full blown lies, to name calling that competes with elementary recess bantering, to exorbitant fundraising. The crazier the comments and actions from the candidates, the more people start asking, how did we end up with these people as our only option? How did this happen? Who is really in control? Why don’t they do something? Our campaign organization has become obscene and incredulous and the answer the political system gives is that this is normal and how the system works. That answer either sparks frustration or a feeling of futility. Many of us struggle with a deeper question, isn’t there something better than this? Can’t someone change this? Many of us can feel hopeless and almost victims of an established system that seems rigged and biased.
The condition of our presidential campaign can leave us at a loss for words, but I have found that many of us can find our lives in a similar situation. We wake up one day and realize that we are irritated with our lives, our decisions are leading us to do and say things that we at one time never thought we would execute. We feel empty, maybe alone, even though we are active we feel that we are missing something. Our life seems to be one unfair and disappointing experience after another. We have had numerous experiences, but nothing seems to give us the foundation that we secretly crave for. We find ourselves sharing, sometimes loudly and sometimes internally, our opinions with criticalness and judgment. We sense that our thoughts and reasoning sliding into turmoil. Some of us wake up one day and ask the question, how did I get here? How did my life turn out this way? Many of us can feel hopeless, like victims and look around at our lives and ask the question, who is in control of my life?
Our culture is the most connected, most informed, given the most opportunities for entertainment, advancement, education, and pleasure that has ever existed. Many of us struggle with all of these choices to clearly know who is in control of our lives. If you ask us, we will say we are in control of our lives, but when we ask that question at a deeper level, privately to ourselves, we can be uncertain of the answer. In this uncertainty, doubt, complacency, bitterness, pride, and anger can sprout and grow. As we live out these days, I believe we must personally answer the question, who is in control? When we honestly answer that question, I know we can then course correct and move forward.
Paul gives us some clarification for believers in Romans 8:6, “So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace” I encourage us to evaluate our lives on this truth. Are we letting our sinful nature control our lives or are we letting the Spirit control and direct our lives. To answer this question authentically we have to not answer with what we want to control our lives, but with what is actually controlling our lives. I believe if we aren’t actively inviting and letting the Spirit control our lives we will slide into letting our sinful nature; preference, selfish ambition, pride, control our lives. When we can admit who is in control of our lives, we can make adjustments and move from feeling hopeless and victimized to living a life of power and peace.
First Steps in Letting the Spirit Control My Life
- Invite the Spirit to control and lead your life
- Read the Bible
- Invest in Christian community for 6-8 weeks
- Consciously make a list of 5 decisions you are making the next week and pray about what you should do
- Help or serve someone
These are not complete steps but they will give you opportunities in letting the Spirit control your life.
So, will you ask the question today?
Who is in control of your life?