“The illusion of control is where doubt tries to swallow us whole. Doubt tries to convince us no one can be trusted — it’s not worth it to believe something can be okay beyond our own doing. And doubt wants us to believe that if we don’t feel safe, we’re not in control, so we should do whatever is needed to take control.”- Nicki Koziarz
In Chapter 11 (“The Controlling Thing About Control”) of Flooded, Nicki Koziarz notes that if you think about it, you feel the need to be in control of something that exists in your life. Above all, there’s one feeling we all crave when we become controlling – safety.
Therefore, Nicki underscores, we need to define what it means to feel safe as we trust God. Because we tend to wonder whether it’s safe to trust God. Hence, Nicki explains:
“When we are in between the problem and the promise, it becomes incredibly easy to convince us it’s time to take things into our own hands. But it couldn’t be more wrong of a time, because we’re so close to a breakthrough. We’re so close to seeing the promise fulfilled. And we’re so close to seeing the fruit of God’s plan.”
So, the author asks, have you ever known full well that you were supposed to not do something, yet did it anyway? But disobedience makes your soul empty and miserable. Until you move in the right direction. Consequently, Nicki stresses, we must be brave, bold, and faithful to do the hard things. Thus, obedience reflects walking out of trust in God.
In conclusion, Nicki reminds us:
” . . .God is in charge. He has the plan. But it’s my process, my actions, my obedience that matters. It is safe to trust God even when it hurts. . . .
While we cannot change the past, a beautiful thing happens when we realize the results of taking things into our own hands again and again. We make the decision to stop.”
Today’s question: What Scriptures help when doubt tries to swallow you whole? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “A spirit of rest – faith and strength”
