The desire for control is a deep, powerful urge within our being. We probably crave for control more than anything else. This is not entirely bad. Control is a necessity and applies to all matters of living. I love to be in control of my car when driving, my legs when walking, my tongue when talking, my arms when eating, the list goes on. The game plan of any sport is control. The team that controls the ball wins the game. We need control in everything, from our personal lives to a national governmental level, or chaos ensues. Gaining control is what life is all about.
The problem with control is this - it is elusive. We can’t control ‘control’. It is something awarded to us at different times in life. You may think you are in control of your body right now. You are probably making plans based on your physical ability, what you will do, where you will go, how you will get there. But if you were to catch the flu or a stomach bug you will quickly forfeit control and your immediate plans to that which ails you, like it or not. That’s what I hate about being sick in bed; I lose control of my body to some microscopic germ which dictates my daily activities. Many of us take for granted this delicate balance of control we possess over our physical bodies. Remember, it can be taken from us at any moment.
The control we experience in life can be divided into two areas, the seen and the unseen. The ’seen’ is obviously our physical reality and the ‘unseen’ refers to our mind and spirit. We all start life as a helpless baby. As we grow we slowly gain control of our body and develop physical abilities. But even this is denied some people. I have a good friend called Nick Vujicic who was born without arms or legs. My friendship with Nick has helped me appreciate the level of control I’ve been given through the privilege of having arms and legs. But one day, even if it’s just through the aging process, I will lose control of my legs, arms and other physical abilities. It’s the way life is. Time takes its toll and we return to that helpless, uncontrolled state of a baby. From the tyrant dictator to those whom he persecutes, from the decadent ‘beautiful people’ of Hollywood to the homeless in a Salvation Army shelter we all arrive back at the same place. No one escapes it.
We won’t always control the physical side of life but that doesn’t mean we can’t control the spiritual. Even though the spirit resides within the body (while we are alive on planet earth) it is autonomous, it has independence. Take my friend Nick. There are obvious physical limitations, but no spiritual ones. His faith in God has made his spirit free. His lack of control in the physical realm did not transfer into the spiritual. He has an inspiring attitude towards life.
We cannot control all the circumstances that come our way but we have been given control of our mind and spirit (there are exceptions, eg. mental illness, brain damage). We make effective decisions concerning our attitudes and our destiny. While you are alive on planet earth no one can control your spirit. You decide whether to obey or not to obey, to accept or reject. You can decide to shake your fist and curse God or even deny His existence. You have control; but remember, it won’t last. When your body releases its last breath you also release control of your spirit. At this point you will not be making any more decisions about your eternal destiny. At your last breath you lose control of everything. Your spirit will be like a vapour whose destiny has already been decided.
Our eternal destiny can be only one of two places: with Jesus (heaven) or hell, which simply is a place where God is not. There are no other options, period. The numbing truth, the urgency of the situation is this: the decision for your eternal destiny is being made in the here and now, today, not when you die. This is why the Bible speaks of today being the day of salvation (1 Corinthians 6:2). In this life God has given you control, the power to make decisions to secure an eternal destiny with Jesus in heaven. Surrender your life to Him and ask God for mercy and you will receive it both in this life, but more importantly, the next. Hold on to your life, refuse the salvation being offered and you will get what you inadvertently asked for, eternal damnation.
Has the seriousness of the situation hit you yet? You are in the process of totally losing control and nothing can stop it. You have a date with death. You will not control your destiny after that point. Accept the facts about control. You will lose it. And realise the decisions for your eternity are being made today.