The Discipline of Letting Go of Control

Its funny when we tell someone that we think they have "control issues." Its a bit like accusing someone of breathing oxygen or inhabiting the planet Earth.  We all have control issues.  It is something that is intrinsic to being human.

Choosing to take upon ourselves the mantle of discipleship means that we will discipline ourselves to work on our control issues.  Choosing to follow Jesus requires being baptized by water and the Spirit.  The word Spirit in its Greek context was closely linked to the word for "wind." Think about discipleship like this: we are required to give up the need to use a rudder, and instead simply head out onto the seas and allow ourselves to be taken where the wind takes us.  God has a specific plan for us that might fly directly in the face of the plan that we have for ourselves.  Being a disciple is not about having a better ship to get where we are going.  Its all about getting rid of the rudder.

A subtle but very significant trend in Christianity today is that the Church has begun to frame discipleship into a mechanism to bring about our fulfillment; in marriage, our vocation, our finances, etc.  Expensive seminars and books are offered about how God can make us financially successful, to have a stronger marriage, and to be fulfilled.  This is not the right approach.  God is not our agent to give us what we want.  God calls us to give up the things that we want so that God can transform us and lead us to those places where we can most effectively bring about God's purposes.  Very likely, these are places where we would choose not to go.