Control is like cancer

For those of us who like to do things are way.
For those of us who feel like unless we do have control things will fall apart.
For those of us who like a nice plan to give us security and peace.

Yes, we all have struggled with this at some point in time, to some degree. We wrestle with the clock, wondering then how we will get it all done. We get stuck in our spiral of do, do, do and all of sudden we are neglecting or hurting things people around us just to get our things done, to accomplish, to have control.

Oh believe you me, I have been here, more times than I'd like to admit. I mean at first control is nice and psh, what's the harm? Plans are good, right? But like all things in this life, there has to be a balance and if you find yourself anxious or stressed because you feel like you "have" to do it your way or have that control of it all, this is for you today. Control is like cancer, if we don't catch it early on it grows and grows and consumes things it shouldn't, thus leading us into depression, anxiety and fear while we hurt our loved ones a long the way.

Let's look at 1 Samuel 12-13 (yep, it's not a sort scripture because we need the context of the story to better help us understand Saul.) Go ahead and read the 2 chapters, let the Holy Spirit speak to you, let Him highlight certain things He wants to point out to you.

To summarize:

Chapter 12 (background information!!!) is about Saul confirmed as king (I'd encourage you also to go back a few chapters and read about how God chose Saul. It is a great story! The Israelites wanted to be like all the other nations and wanted a King to rule over them. God just wasn't enough and they felt weird not having what everyone else had, sound familiar?).

Then chapter 13, the chapter about the war with the Philistines and Saul's rule as king begins. His rule begins with a huge challenge and test. Here he was facing his enemies who had almost 10x more men. {fear set in--that's a given, natural instinct} So many of the Israelites ran, hid...they were outnumbered! {more fear} Saul didn't run though, he stayed and some stayed with him, trembling. {even more fear} I can just imagine what was going through Saul's head...so many thoughts of how to do what was placed in front of him, how to be a good king and lead well. He had good intentions otherwise God wouldn't have chose him! BUT instead of remaining in faith and trust, verse 8- " Now he waited seven days, according to the appointed time set up by Samuel (the prophet), but Samuel did not come to Gilgal (where Saul was with his terrified few soldiers remaining with him). SO...then verse 9- "So Saul said, "Bring to me the burnt offering and the peace offering." Saul was trying to do what he thought had to be done. I can totally relate to him. He had good intentions with taking control, I mean people where freaking out and scared out of their minds, but God became an after thought to him and that is where the problem began. He then took control because his expectations were not met and he knew how he could accomplish what he thought he was supposed to do. His need to control he made a very foolish decision and his kingdom/anointing was taken from him (13:13-14).

Saul grew impatient.
Saul knew how he could control.
Saul thought he was doing right. (He was afraid that the prophet Samuel had maybe forgotten about him or wouldn't know what to do anyway!)
Saul was fearful and anxious.
Saul acted out of that fear not his faith in God.

That is it, Saul acted out of fear not his faith in God.

You see, sometimes we think we know best or if we have expectations and they are not met we know how they can be met and we take control, creating a bigger mess in the end. Our anointing from the Lord is not taken away {nothing can separate us from the love of God}, but anxiety and depression can set in. We can become consumed with situations and the negative. We lack faith, faith that God's timing is better than what we can expect and if it doesn't go as planned we need to trust God. (I am preaching to myself too folks!)

Think about the root of your need for control. What is it? Today God wants to show you what it is so that He can remove that burdensome cancer from your body. He does not intend us to live in this.

This is his word for you today:

"My child, you do not need to have control of everything. Allow your faith to rise up instead. yes, people are not perfect and will fail at times including you. I will not. I will be there watching over you. Control is like cancer growing in you every time  you have to know and fix and figure out what is going on, instead of just living as life as I give it to you, trusting in Me. I will provide, I will lead you because I created you and love you. Faith is the cure. Faith brings joy and hope, peace and love. Faith that even if you don't have control and things fall apart of don't go as you expected, that I have a better plan still and it is not the end. I am always with you to help you and fix the mess. Lay your need to have control before Me. Thank you for being loving and helpful. I created you to be a giver and helper my child, like Me. Let not your anxious thoughts and fears control you in this though, pushing you to control other and situations. Allow Me to show you where you need to let go and trust Me. I am here for you and I love you."

Faith is the cure. Take a deep breath. Lay it all down, Jesus wants to take it off your shoulders and replace it with joy and peace. It is possible!