The Illusion of Control
Read The Daily:
“Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” – Matthew 6:27
Post by Katie Wagner
Anxiety loves to whisper the same lie: “If you just think about this enough, you’ll figure it out.” And so, we spiral. We replay conversations. We imagine worst-case scenarios. We overanalyze every decision. But has worry ever actually solved a problem?
Travis (my husband) and I are total opposites on how we handle things out of our control. He couldn’t care less and I truly couldn’t care more. I let it eat at me and consume my thoughts and emotions. When our first son was born very premature my “control issues” spiraled. I drove myself and my family crazy stressing about his growth and development. I was so worried about him catching up on height and weight and milestones (roll, sit, stand, crawl, etc) that I often found myself hyper focused and coaching him to do these things instead of enjoying the moments as they happened. Travis would beg me to stop worrying and just enjoy him being a baby.
We think if we can just figure everything out, we’ll have peace. But peace doesn’t come from knowing every detail—it comes from trusting God with what we don’t know
Beau did everything late, but eventually did everything. He graduated from the preemie clinic at Nationwide Children’s Hospital at 18 months of age after completely catching up on growth and development. He actually grew too much (he went from too small to too big). He was selected to be a patient champion by the hospital and has his story/picture inside the NICU to help inspire other preemie families just starting their journey.
Beau looks like his dad but unfortunately often worries like his Mom. He wears a “God’s got this” bracelet that Tayden Carpenter gave him. ***(I should put a disclaimer that Beau loves Tayden so if it said God doesn’t have this, he would probably still wear it). He’s told us that it reminds him not to worry. Telling his story today reminds me that God had a plan for Beau then and has one for him now.
God gave us a miracle and me a wake up call. Jesus asks a simple question: “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” The answer is obvious—no. Worry doesn’t add; it only takes. It takes peace. It takes sleep. It takes joy. It takes time that we’ll never get back. We think if we can just figure everything out, we’ll have peace. But peace doesn’t come from knowing every detail—it comes from trusting God with what we don’t know.
Today, practice letting go of what you can’t control and handing it to the One who already holds it.
Prayer for the Day
God what are you showing me? What am I going to do about it?
God help me to see one person that I can serve through a kind word, random act of kindness, or simple gift today?
Make sure you complete the reading or comment today.
Read The New Testament In A Year
4 x 6 Plan | Read: John 21:15-25 & 1 Corinthians 7:10-16
After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.” “Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him. Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.” “Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said. A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep. “I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.” Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God. Then Jesus told him, “Follow me.” Peter turned around and saw behind them the disciple Jesus loved—the one who had leaned over to Jesus during supper and asked, “Lord, who will betray you?” Peter asked Jesus, “What about him, Lord?” Jesus replied, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow me.” So the rumor spread among the community of believers that this disciple wouldn’t die. But that isn’t what Jesus said at all. He only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?” This disciple is the one who testifies to these events and has recorded them here. And we know that his account of these things is accurate. Jesus also did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that would be written. John 21:15-25
But for those who are married, I have a command that comes not from me, but from the Lord. A wife must not leave her husband. But if she does leave him, let her remain single or else be reconciled to him. And the husband must not leave his wife. Now, I will speak to the rest of you, though I do not have a direct command from the Lord. If a fellow believer has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to continue living with him, he must not leave her. And if a believing woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to continue living with her, she must not leave him. For the believing wife brings holiness to her marriage, and the believing husband brings holiness to his marriage. Otherwise, your children would not be holy, but now they are holy. (But if the husband or wife who isn’t a believer insists on leaving, let them go. In such cases the believing husband or wife is no longer bound to the other, for God has called you to live in peace.) Don’t you wives realize that your husbands might be saved because of you? And don’t you husbands realize that your wives might be saved because of you? 1 Corinthians 7:10-16
Read More – Bible Project Overviews: John, 1 Corinthians