Is the feeling of being in control a reality or an illusion?

You come to work on schedule, your mind is already thinking about your plans for the day: meetings, deadlines, specific tasks or projects you want to work on or finally complete. You feel in complete control. Until you realize you’re not.

One of the definitions of life and work is how uncertain things can be. Scottish poet Robert Burns noted: “The best laid plans of mice and men are often thwarted.” In other words, the so-called “Murphy’s Law” says that if something can go wrong, it will go wrong. When we start to think we are in control, circumstances can conspire to prove that we are not.
I have experienced this hard lesson many times as a journalist. There was a time early in my career when I was working on a daily newspaper and thought I had a front page layout ready. Then I received a notification that a tragic school bus accident had just occurred. The deadline to send the paper to the printer was approaching, but I knew I couldn’t ignore this breaking news. Suddenly, everything was out of control. Fortunately, a more experienced editor-in-chief came to my rescue around that time.

Several times while I was the editor of the journal, the articles we planned to use did not materialize, and we had to quickly move to plan B. These incidents dispelled any notion that I was “in control.” Before I became a follower of Jesus Christ and discovered the power of prayer, my first impulse was to panic. Even later in my career, the feeling of losing control was always anxiety-inducing.

Surrendering my life to Christ was life-changing in many ways. One of them was learning how to deal with the inevitable moments that spiral out of control. In fact, one of the first Bible verses I memorized dealt directly with this. Proverbs 3:5-6, which I have come to consider my “life verse,” gives the following instruction: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.”
Sometimes I find it difficult to navigate in unfamiliar places. The Global Positioning System (GPS) on my smartphone has been an invaluable tool. But life and work don’t provide a map or GPS to show you the best direction. That’s why trusting in God’s guidance, even when I can’t understand what He’s doing or where He’s leading me, has become so important. Here are some principles I’ve learned:

Recognizing reliance on God. Putting God first in our plans and actions and trusting Him is crucial to avoid going astray. “Trust in the Lord and do good… Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will fulfill the desires of your heart… Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him” (Psalm 37:3-7).

Relying on God’s course corrections. When traveling, it is important to know when to stop and when to stay on the main road. The same goes for how we discuss the course of our lives, even in the workplace. “A man plans in his heart, but the Lord determines his steps” (Proverbs 16:9).
Remembering God holds the future. Our plans often fall apart because we do not know what lies ahead. Knowing that God is in control can help us in our faith. “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11-14).

© 2024. Robert J. Tamasi has written Ambassadors of the Marketplace: CBMC’s Enduring Legacy of Evangelism and Discipleship; Business at its Best: Timeless Wisdom from Proverbs for the Modern Workplace; Pursuing Life with a Shepherd’s Heart, co-authored with Ken Johnson; and The Heart of Mentoring, co-authored with David A. Stoddard. Bob’s biweekly blog: www.bobtamasy.blogspot.com.

Questions for reflection/discussion

1. Some people are called “control freaks”; they want to feel that they are in control of even the smallest details. How would you describe yourself in terms of your need to feel in control?

2. Think back to one or two situations when everything seemed to be going smoothly and you felt in control, but suddenly found that it was not. How did you respond?

3. Can you think of any benefits – any positive aspects – of realizing that no matter how hard you try, some things in life are simply beyond your control? Please explain your answer.
4. How can faith and trust in God help us cope with times that seem to be spinning out of control? Does it mean simply shrugging our shoulders and accepting what happens, or does it mean something more?

NOTE. If you have a Bible and would like to read more, consider the following passages: Proverbs 19:21, 20:24, 21:1,30-31, 27:1; Matthew 6:25-34; Philippians 4:6-7

Tasks for this week

Over the next week, take some time to think about how this important sense of “control” affects your approach to work. If you notice that you feel more anxious or worried than you think you should, spend some time in prayer, asking God for wisdom and strength to trust Him more – and to depend less on the circumstances you face. Find a friend – perhaps someone from your CBMC group if you are part of one – to hold you accountable.