Maneuvers - No. 3
Where to Look
for Wisdom
At any given moment, there are voices competing for our attention. Thoughts, messages, expectations, and concerns. They all want us to listen and do what they say.
But not all voices are worth listening to, friend. You see, the world will try to fill our heads with lots of noise: “You should do this. You can’t do that. You’re not a good (spouse/parent/friend/person) if you do this. You’ll be happier if…”
Each message hinges on an unspoken promise: control.
We all secretly want to feel in control, don’t we? (For some of us, maybe it’s not so secret!) We want to feel like we have it all together, that we know what’s going to happen, that we can dictate the outcome. We want to feel strong enough.
After all, it’s scary to face a problem or an impossible situation and not be able to make it better. We want to feel like we can make it better.
The problem we run into is that this is an empty promise. It’s impossible to completely control our lives or what happens to us and the ones we love. And even if it were possible, we could never create a plan for our lives that is more beautiful and majestic than what God already has in store.
Dear friend, Holy Spirit is inviting us today to stop believing those empty promises. He wants to take us on an adventure with him in which we give up our attempts at control and instead let him take the reins.
He does a better job at leading anyway. His leadership is fully trustworthy. But he won’t yank the reins out of our hands. He invites us to hand them over willingly… because we trust him.
Will you join us as we listen to his loving plea today? Let’s tune in to his heartbeat…
01.
The Message
“I see you. You are not alone. The weight on your shoulders is not yours to carry now. Not alone. Not without help. I hear your calls in the night. The silent pleas. The under-the-breath whispers in the day.
“The messages from voices that are not mine come insistent and strong, confident and without mercy: You are going to mess this up—her up, him up; this situation is more than you can handle; the mistakes you make are going to hurt people; what is the point of trying?
“I am not here to give you an easy answer to fix all your problems. I know that isn’t what you expect, but it would be nice, wouldn't it? You see, answers don’t come in the wisdom you expect all the time. Sometimes answers come in a person. Always they come in love. Always, answers—solutions—come with me.
“Where do you usually look for wisdom? Where do you look for hope? What books are you reading for answers? What messages—and media—are you heeding, devouring? What are you believing that tells you again and again, that the answer to your problem rests in you; you need to be the one to pull yourself together; you need to be the one to pull your family together?
“Look to me. Expect me.
“And as you battle with worry—for what is coming, and for how the problem before you can be fixed—do not let the past haunt you. I do not concern myself with who you were. Do not let your mistakes taunt you. I do not know them anymore.
“Give me your mind now. I will show you how love will change how you think. Give me your heart now. I will help you in this wrestling match of head and heart and surrender and control. Give up the lie that to be responsible, to love well, to live a life of joy and purpose, you must live a life where you have everything under control.
“Give me all control. Give me each worry. See me everywhere you are. Hear me speaking in each moment. In hope. In joy. Always, always, in love.”
02.
Listen
When Holy Spirit invites us to give up control, he only does it because he has something even better to give us in return: intimacy with him.
As we place our lives in his hands in full surrender, we can truly say, “Abba… Dad… I trust you.”
What line impacted you most from this week’s FLAG message? What cry is it stirring up in your heart? We encourage you to write your prayer down in your journal.
03.
Think
“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love” (1 John 4:18, ESV).
1. What areas of your life are you worried about or trying to control right now?
2. What fears are fueling those attempts at control? What lie (or lies) about God causes you to be afraid to trust him with those situations? Write them down.
3. Look at each of the lies you just wrote down. What Scripture passages refute those lies? Under each fear/lie, write down the truth from God’s Word.
4. What do you sense Holy Spirit saying to you specifically through those Scriptures? Be still for a moment and listen. Record anything he shows you.
04.
Trust
Sometimes when we hear sermons or read books about surrender, it can feel like another chore. Another exhausting to-do in order to be a good Christian.
But nothing could be further from the truth.
Let’s return to the last two paragraphs of this week’s message:
“Give me your mind now. I will show you how love will change how you think. Give me your heart now. I will help you in this wrestling match of head and heart and surrender and control. Give up the lie that to be responsible, to love well, to live a life of joy and purpose, you must live a life where you have everything under control.
“Give me all control. Give me each worry. See me everywhere you are. Hear me speaking in each moment. In hope. In joy. Always, always, in love.”
God invites us to hand over control because he loves us, not because he wants to sadistically rule our lives. His design for you is beautiful, his plans for you are perfect, and his love for you is tender. He is good.
Think back to the introduction to this week’s newsletter. There’s a cacophony of voices begging for our attention. But God’s voice is the only one we can fully trust. His voice will never lead us astray.
And the best part is that he is always speaking. In every moment, in every situation we face, in every sickness, death, job loss, prodigal child, and betrayal… he is speaking to us, offering words of life and hope.
Today, we encourage you to join us in handing over those worrisome situations to God.
Let’s close our eyes in prayer and hold out our hands, as if we’re holding a bowl full of those worries and fears. Now, let’s pour that bowl out at the foot of the cross. May our surrender be like the sweet perfume that Mary poured on Jesus’ feet and wiped with her hair.
Do you feel the release? The freedom of letting go of control? We pray you do. That’s God’s heart for each of us.
05.
Pray
I love you, Lord. I love your ways. I love your gospel. I love your Spirit in my life.
I confess to you every single way I’ve let fear trick me into grasping for control. This situation I’m facing is, in a lot of ways, terrifying. I won’t deny that, God. But I know that you’re bigger than this obstacle. You’re so much mightier.
Today, as I surrender to you, I pray that you would strengthen my faith. Help me see beyond the physical and into the spiritual. I want to see with eyes of faith, because what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. Show me what you see.
Thank you for always speaking to me. Give me wisdom to tune into your voice and block out the messages that don’t line up with your Word. I just want to hear your voice better.
Remove any doubt or hesitation. I want to dive in headfirst into the good things you have in store for me. I long for stronger intimacy with you, God. Take me deeper. I love you with all my heart. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Waving the banner with you,
