Hope in Losing Control

"Control freak!"

Have you ever been called by that nickname? 

Maybe it was said in jest, or maybe it was screamed in anger. 

I think we've all had moments when we deserved that moniker.

There are those, however, who take the name "control freak" to a whole new level of crazy!  You know the kind of person I'm talking about:

They are so in control of every person around them that they have lost all control of themselves.

Proverbs 16:32 comes to mind:

"He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city."

We can certainly lay seige to everyone in our lives and take over every situation.  We can rule our "city" like a conquering army, forcing our control on those who don't wish it, and overpowering those around us.

However, it is so much better when we focus our energy on controlling our own spirit:

• guarding every word that comes out of our mouth
• walking away from situations that don't need our input
• realizing that our way isn't the only way
• knowing that someone else can do that job just as well as we can
• allowing those around us to fail, rather than rushing in to "save the day"
• listening carefully to instruction, instead of assuming we know the correct way to proceed
• taking a few minutes to pray before responding to a critical situation
• refusing to do someone else's job and focusing on our own
• admitting our mistakes quickly, rather than blaming someone else

Controlling our own spirit is infinitely more difficult than controlling others.

It takes more prayer, more humility, greater sacrifice and extreme diligence.

The Scripture tells us, though, that it is "better" to be slow to anger and to rule our own spirit.

I think I'll just work on that today.  It looks like it could be an all-day job!

Blessings to you as you find hope in losing control (of others) to gain control (of yourself).

Alesha