The Dangers of Overcontrol

Crosswalk Daily Email 'Today God Is First' Devotion | Os Hillman

[WhatNot]

1 Samuel 15:23
For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has rejected you as king.

A friend of mine who is a jet pilot once told me that whenever a jet goes out of control and begins to spin, the only thing to do is totally take your hands off the controls and the plane will right itself. This goes against our natural inclination to control and manipulate in order to bring things back under control. It is scary to be out of control. Or is it?

Saul was a man out of control. He was losing control of his kingdom to David. He was losing the favor of God and the people. It began as compromises. Eventually he was given a final test to obey the voice of God fully. He was instructed to kill the Amalekites completely; but he failed to follow through. The prophet Samuel delivered a hard word to King Saul, "Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has rejected you as king" (see 1 Sam. 15:26). Saul obeyed partially, but not fully. It was partial obedience that led to his removal as king of Israel and his calling from God. But why did Saul do such a thing? "I was afraid of the people and so I gave in to them" (1 Sam. 15:24b). Saul's fear and insecurity made him more afraid of the people and what they thought than of God. At the core of Saul's disobedience was fear of losing control. That fear of losing control led to partial obedience and the loss of his reign as king.

How many of us are in danger of losing God's blessing due to partial obedience? How many of us have such a need to control people and circumstances that we fail to fully walk in obedience to God's voice in our lives? Saul provides a great lesson for us as businesspeople. The need to overcontrol things around us can prevent us from receiving all that God has for us. Today, take an inventory of your control quotient.

Ask God if you are being fully obedient to what He has called you to do this day, and avoid being put on the shelf for disobedience. "To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams" (1 Sam. 15:22b).

[WhatNot]

I would never imply that getting over rejection is easy, but it is God's unquestionable will for your life.

[MissDairyGoodnessVT]

as it pertains to me, i’m glad i read this posting.
i’ve been guilty of overcontrol with one of my children.
we had a big blow-out thru email over a soon to be born
child about the spelling of the child’s name.
I apologized and asked forgiveness.
boy, have i learned my lesson.this is appropo for me.

You may be wondering if i’m airing dirty laundry here but i’m not. I rarely comment on things religious here but
I stand convicted.

Things will take time to heal.

I hope when someone else reads my post it will benefit them.

thanks,
MDG

[WhatNot]

Thank you for your post, I'm sure God will use your words to speak to another person(s), who needs to read exactly what you wrote.

May the Lord richly bless you