Is it wise to take control of our lives?

In His great love for us, Jesus came to sacrifice Himself for us, so that we can receive His life and share in His heavenly inheritance. As His followers, we are meant to do the same and deny ourselves to live as living sacrifices for God. Letting go of control of our lives like this to Someone we cannot see, however, feels counter intuitive and even frightening at times – especially when this world extols the virtues of being shrewd and in control. No one wants to be seen as foolish, lazy, or irresponsible. Surely God’s grace means that we get to keep control over some areas of our lives? Doesn’t He give us the ability to think and choose for ourselves?

(See Chinese versions: 简体中文 > 自我控制人生是否明智？ | 繁體中文 > 自我控制人生是否明智？)

 

Luke 9:23 ESV  And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

Romans 12:1-2 ESV  I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

God has an assigned plan for each one of us

Have we ever paused to wonder why we are here and what is our purpose?

The good news is that God has gifted us in specific ways to fulfill His will and purpose on earth. These plans were not formed once we became followers of Jesus Christ, they began the minute we were created in our mothers’ wombs. Just as God crafted our DNA uniquely for us, He also designed a specific plan for our lives.

Ephesians 2:10 ESV  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Romans 12:4-8,11 NLT  Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly… Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.

When we follow God’s plan for our lives, He will personally “equip us with everything good that we may fulfil His will” and will even “give us the desire and power to do what pleases Him”. This is made possible through faith in Jesus Christ, the knowledge of God’s Word, and the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Hebrews 13:20-21 ESV  Now may the God of peace … equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Philippians 2:12-13 NLT  Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

Galatians 2:20 ESV  I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

It is in God’s interests to help us to succeed when we stay faithful to His will. If we keep walking along the path that God has already paved for our lives, our feet will not slip.

Psalm 17:5-7 ESV  My steps have held fast to your paths; my feet have not slipped. I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me; hear my words. Wondrously show your steadfast love, O Savior of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at your right hand.

All our lives lead up to one major, phenomenal turn of events

All of God’s plans for humanity will culminate to one phenomenal event for this earth.

Jesus is returning to “judge the living and the dead when He comes to set up His Kingdom” and “repay each person according to what he has done.”

2 Timothy 4:1 NLT  I solemnly urge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will someday judge the living and the dead when he comes to set up his Kingdom:

Matthew 16:27 ESV  For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.

This is not something we think about often but God’s Word is filled with many references to it. According to some estimates, the New Testament contains 7,959 verses about the second coming of Jesus Christ. That is 1 out of every 25 verses or 23 out of its 27 books.

When God’s Word gives us so many pre-warnings about Jesus’ return, then as His followers, we certainly ought to pay attention too. The problem is that most of us, like the apostle Peter, have been trained since birth to “not set our minds on the things of God but on the things of man.”

Matthew 16:23-26 ESV  But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

Jesus warned that much of the world will be caught completely off-guard by His return. The Bible shows us that many of us will be caught focusing on the “things of man” – wining and dining, indulging in parties and entertainment or chasing a profit – basically, living our lives our own way.

Matthew 24:37-39 NLT  “When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day. In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. People didn’t realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes.

James 4:13-15 ESV  Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”

Just as Jesus said to His disciples 2,000 years ago, He still says to anyone who wants to follow Him today, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds.” (Matthew 16:24-27, New Living Translation)

Therefore, the question we need to ask ourselves is, “Am I ready for Jesus’ return? Or am I so distracted by the things of this world that I am in danger of losing my soul?”

Why we find it hard to “give up our own way”

Unfortunately, most of us don’t spend much time ensuring that our lives are in order and ready for Jesus’ return. There are two main reasons for this.

1. Life formulas

We have all been sold a “formula” for what a good life looks like; be popular, respected, influential, rich, attractive, trendy, married, secure, wear the right clothes, have nice families, live in nice homes, and so on.

This formula may differ from culture to culture, but the peer pressure to conform is the same. If we don’t conform, we may be ridiculed, looked down on, rejected, or reprimanded – even by our own family. We may be made to feel as if we are betraying our loved ones or even ourselves if we don’t go along with worldly expectations.

Romans 12:2 NLT  Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

We all want a good life and there is nothing inherently wrong with this desire. It is only when this desire takes priority over following God’s will that it becomes a problem.

Satan can use our desires to lead us on a completely different path from God’s. This is why Jesus reprimanded the devil and said, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” (Matthew 16:23, English Standard Version) When we set our minds on the things of this world, we are in fact, being hindered by Satan.

Satan tempts us to stick with our personal agendas in life by manipulating our thoughts with fears that sound so logical and legitimate that we are deceived into believing them. Satan’s lies are usually voiced in the first person. Hence, we will hear things such as;

• Fear of lack: “What if I don’t have enough to live comfortably or to support my family?” | The Bible says, Matthew 6:25-33 ESV “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
• Fear of other people: “What if I disappoint my family?” | The Bible says, Proverbs 29:25 ESV The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.
• Fear of reputational loss: “What if I look stupid for following Jesus?” | The Bible says, Matthew 5:11-12 NLT “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.
• Fear of loneliness: “What if I end up alone for the rest of my life?” | The Bible says, Isaiah 41:10 ESV Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
• Fear of rejection: “What if I get rejected for not following the expectations of this world?” | The Bible says, James 4:4 ESV You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

Following Jesus does not necessarily mean that we have to literally lose everything and everyone in our lives, it means that we must be prepared to when called to do so.

Jesus gave up all His privileges in heaven to live as a human being in order to pay for our eternal salvation. If He made such an immense sacrifice for us and asks us to give up what we have on this earth in order to share in His heavenly riches later, then what Jesus is asking of us doesn’t seem such a big sacrifice by comparison.

This is why He says to all believers, “If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple. “But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!’ So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own. (Luke 14:26-30,33 New Living Translation)

There is a cost of following Jesus. Believers are called to put God first over everything and everyone else because this earth is transient. We insult God when we put our reputation, comfort, family, and earthly concerns over and above an eternal relationship with Him.

1 John 2:16-17 NLT  For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.

Also, see Recognising the “different Jesus” of the prosperity gospel.

Here is a quick test for the condition of our hearts: List all the things that our lives are filled with and give a percentage to the amount of time we spend thinking about them. What does our list show us? Have we given God a certain (small) percentage or is He part of our thoughts throughout the day, even while we are eating, working, relaxing, or studying?

2. Apprehensions about God’s character

Another major hindrance to us releasing control of our lives over to God are our misgivings about God’s character.

Perhaps we incorrectly believe that:

• “God will not give me good things.” | Our misgiving: God is not generous. He is mean. The Bible says, Psalm 84:11 ESV For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.
• “God is good to others but maybe not good to me.” | Our misgiving: God is partial. The Bible says, Deuteronomy 10:17 ESV For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe.
• “God will desert me when I need Him the most.” | Our misgiving: God is unfaithful. The Bible says, 2 Timothy 2:13 ESV ß If we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.
• “God will give me plans that will overwhelm me.” | Our misgiving: God is ignorant, harsh, and uncaring. The Bible says, 1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.
• “God doesn’t understand me or know what I want.” | Our misgiving: God doesn’t know our desires. The Bible says, Psalm 139:3-4 NLT You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD.
• “God may respond too late.” | Our misgiving: God is slow and sluggish. The Bible says, 2 Peter 3:8-9 ESV But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
• “God will tire of me and my needs.” | Our misgiving: God gets tired and weak. The Bible says, Isaiah 40:28-29 ESV Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.
• “God’s promises in the Bible are no longer valid.” | Our misgiving: God changes His mind. The Bible says, Numbers 23:19 NIV God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?

Also, see Experiencing God’s love and Our broken images of God.

Much of our misgivings about God are derived from our observations of human beings than God.

Perhaps we have been deeply disappointed or hurt by what others have done and cannot imagine how God could allow such bad things to happen. We assume that what we see on earth is reflection of God Himself and forget that we live in a “world around us that is under the control of the evil one.” Much of the brokenness in this world we see is Satan’s work, not God’s. As believers, we are called to “live in fellowship with Jesus” and to “keep away from anything (from this world) that might take God’s place in our hearts”.  Also, see Testing for idols in our hearts.

1 John 5:19-21 NLT  We know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under the control of the evil one.  And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life. Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts.

In fact, we are called to make a stand against Satan’s works and build God’s Kingdom on earth, which is “not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” God sends the Holy Spirit to live in our hearts, but if we keep filling our hearts with earthly clutter, we slowly and literally push God out again until we repent in Jesus’ name.

Luke 17:20-21 ESV  Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”

Romans 14:17 ESV  For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Galatians 4:6 NLT  And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.”

What we can and cannot control

The idea of being in control is actually an illusion.

In reality, we cannot determine how other people think or act or dictate how the economy will move. We cannot predict what will happen in the next hour or day. We cannot even control whether we have another breath or not. There are many things that are entirely outside our control. The fact that we can wake up alive each day is a gift from God and another chance to honour Him and turn away from things that displease Him.

Jeremiah 10:23 NLT  I know, LORD, that our lives are not our own. We are not able to plan our own course.

What we can control is our internal world – our beliefs, our values, our attitudes, and our desires – this is where the Kingdom of God is built.

God loves us so much that He gives us free choice. He controls everything else except us. God is in absolute control in heaven and on earth, in the seen or in the unseen, over all ruling authorities, as well as the past and the future, but He does not manipulate mankind. He wants us to love and trust Him by our choice, not by guilt or fear. He gives us absolute control over how we respond to Him. This, in itself, is an awe-inspiring thought.

Colossians 1:16-17 ESV  For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

For those who choose to release control over our lives to follow Jesus, God will also allow our faith to be tested. How genuine is our devotion to Him and how deep, our love? Will we truly deny ourselves all the way and obey Him all the way? Here, God also has no control over how we respond, but He does promise to reward us with greater things if we prove to be faithful in the small things.

Deuteronomy 8:2 ESV  And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.

1 Peter 1:7 ESV  So that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Matthew 25:21 ESV His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’

Also, see The practice of honouring God’s will.

The desire for control leads to anxiety, striving, and witchcraft

The desire for control breeds anxiety, striving, and other unpleasant traits, such as covetousness, jealousy and selfish ambition. It can even lead to depression when things don’t turn out as we had hoped or planned.

The desire for control is also behind the prevalence of witchcraft; the reading of horoscopes, the faith in lucky charms, the use of fengshui, the consultation of fortune-tellers, and so forth. Yet these things may give the illusion of control when they only leave us encased in anxiety that keeps looping. Also, see Breaking off from the occult and Witchcraft is mainstream and dangerous.

Colossians 3:5 ESV  Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

James 3:14-16 ESV  But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.

When we finally accept and trust in God’s plan and control, we will experience rest for our souls. He will give us all we need. God’s Word tells us that there is no need to worry. He is a good Father who will nurture, guide, correct, and train us to live righteously on earth. Only then will we be prepared for Jesus’ return and judgement.

Matthew 6:33 NLT  Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

Some clarifications

1. Releasing control to God vs. indifference

Releasing control is not about not caring or being apathetic. It is about turning our fears and desires over to God and asking Him to renew the way we think about things, so that we are aligned with His thoughts and His will. This is where we will find life and peace.

Romans 12:2 ESV ESV  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Romans 8:5-6 ESV ESV   For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.

2. Releasing control to God vs. laziness

Releasing control is not about not doing anything and expecting God to do it all. It is about seeking His will and faithfully following His plans. Jesus was not slothful and neither should we be.

James 2:14-17 ESV  What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

3. Releasing good desires to God

Releasing control is also about releasing our good desires to God. These may include wishing for the salvation of our family members, the future well-being of our children, the outcome of our work, and so on. Each time we try to proactively control the outcome of anything to some degree, we inevitably end up manipulating and hurting other people or interfering with God’s plans.

Let’s take Joseph for example. Before Joseph became the Egyptian pharaoh’s highest official, he first had to land up in jail as a prisoner and meet two of the pharaoh’s staff, one of whom eventually referred Joseph to his master. Before Joseph landed in jail, he was wrongly accused and cast out of his first master’s home. Before Joseph became a slave to his first master, he was sold by his own brothers into slavery. All along the way, Joseph might have been tempted to question God for not fulfilling his good desires for justice and honour, but he released control to God who eventually lifted him to the highest position possible at that time. It was this position that enabled Joseph to provide richly for his own family during a famine, including the brothers who betrayed him. As the true plan for his life unfolded, Joseph was able to say, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.”

Genesis 41:38-41 NLT  So Pharaoh asked his officials, “Can we find anyone else like this man so obviously filled with the spirit of God?” Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has revealed the meaning of the dreams to you, clearly no one else is as intelligent or wise as you are. You will be in charge of my court, and all my people will take orders from you. Only I, sitting on my throne, will have a rank higher than yours.”  Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the entire land of Egypt.”

Genesis 50:20 NLT  You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.

Sometimes we resist releasing control and trusting God because of the wickedness we see around us and the fear that it will only increase or affect our families. We want to protect ourselves from evildoers. As we can see from Joseph’s example, God can use wickedness to bring about good.

Proverbs 16:3-4 ESV  Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established. The LORD has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble.

No one can imagine how God works, so let us trust Him in all our ways and not get sidetracked with the injustices and anxieties we experience in the time being, because God is in control and promises to exalt those who humbly follow His ways. Who knows, we may even end up like Joseph, raised up and held in honour by all, including those who have betrayed us. We just need the patience to witness how God’s ultimate plans for our lives unfold.

Isaiah 55:8-9 ESV  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

1 Peter 5:6-7 ESV  Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

A prayer to release control to God

Releasing control is hard because it is an invisible battle for our hearts. We may know what we ought to do in our heads but find it hard to truly trust God 100 percent in our hearts, so here is a prayer to help us along.

“Dear Heavenly Father,

Your Word has many reassurances to not fear anything or anyone. It includes numerous reminders of Your everlasting goodness.

Isaiah 41:10 ESV  fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Zephaniah 3:17 ESV  The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.

Ephesians 2:4-5 ESV  But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—

However, I confess I struggle to surrender my will completely to you and release control of my life. I confess I fear many things. I fear pain and suffering, I fear discomfort, I fear poverty, I fear rejection, I fear loss of face, I fear condemnation… (Please name all relevant fears). I know that as a believer, I should not hold on to fear. It only separates me from You.

2 Timothy 1:7 ESV  For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

Today, I declare I want to turn away from living in bondage to the expectations, pressures, and trends of this world. This world is passing away, but I want to follow Your will and live forever with You.

1 John 2:15-17 ESV  Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

Please help me uproot the source of my fears and renew my thoughts and heart.

Has there been a time in my life where my childlike innocence, trust, and devotion was trampled on, and did that leave a fear in my heart to ever trust anyone again? Did I make any inner vow and promise myself that I would take control of my life? (Please renounce these inner vows in Jesus’ name, and replace them with the truth in God’s Word) Also, see Inner vows must be revoked.

Please show me who I need to forgive so that I can be freed from these fears that still hold me in emotional bondage. What judgements or resentments have I held against people that I need to repent of? (Please confess all the painful emotions we felt before forgiving those who have made us fearful and repenting of the ways we have judged them.)

Matthew 6:14-15 ESV  For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Matthew 7:1-2 ESV  “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.

I may have held onto these things for so long that I cannot consciously identify them anymore. They are now deeply embedded in my subconscious. Holy Spirit, please help me recall such events to my consciousness. Please help me understand how these things have affected me and convict me of the ways I need to get right with You.

Isaiah 11:2 ESV  And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.

Lord, please convict me of the idols in my heart that keep me from trusting in You with a childlike faith. Who or what do I still treasure or fear on this earth more than You? How did they become my idols in the first place? How am I being tempted to still idolise them? (Please wait for a few minutes for God to bring any revelation.)

1 Corinthians 10:13-14 ESV  No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

Today I will humble myself before You and release control of my heart over to You. I recognise that this is a process and invite You to keep pointing out the chambers in my heart that are still closed and that still lock You out.

Isaiah 66:2 ESV  All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.

Revelation 3:19-21 ESV  Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.

I desire a rich relationship with You more than treasures on earth that will only be destroyed or lost one day.

Luke 12:21 NLT  “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”

Matthew 6:19-21 ESV  “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Please come and renew my thoughts, oh Lord, so that I may know and may follow Your good, acceptable and perfect will.

Romans 12:1-2 ESV  I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

I turn from sinning against You by choosing to live my life my own way and for coveting the control over my life that is rightfully Yours. Please fill me with Your peace, joy, and hope.

James 4:17 ESV  So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

In Jesus’ name, amen.”

May this sharing be a blessing to you as you seek to love the Lord with all your heart and deny yourself to follow Jesus, our perfect Saviour.