Who's In Charge Here, Anyway?

We’ve been set up! The human race finds itself in a deep pit with seemingly no way out.  But that was not in the original design. God created human beings to freely receive and return his love, and to freely share in his creative work and authority. But the temptation to disobedience was just too great. In the garden our first parents chose to launch out on their own and to attempt to experience their full potential independently of their Creator. The resulting separation and alienation, hostility and pain, has been the human story ever since. The real question in the Garden was a question of authority, a question of control. Was it possible to find real satisfaction and fulfillment under God’s control, living a life of loving obedience to God, or was it necessary to be “autonomous” and independent in order to be fully human? Did it require the first humans to find a way to be in control of their own lives?

A good friend of mine once said that “all sins are control issues.” Who’s in control? Who’s in charge here, anyway? Our very human nature has become warped by an instinctive resistance to submitting to God’s control. We have a fundamental need to feel like we’re in control, while real control is never really possible – resulting in a variety of compulsive, self-centered, self-indulgent behaviors – addictions. “Addiction” is usually defined as “dependency, habit, obsession with, enslavement to.” All of us tend to be “addicted” to some core desires/compulsions:

Addicted to the need to be in control. Our choice to live independently from God and God’s control results in an overwhelming need to feel like we are in control. This is such a strong compulsion, feeling like we are not in control, feeling like our life is out of control, is a primary source of depression. The attempt to control our lives can spill over into attempts to control the lives of others.

Addicted to the need to feel powerful. Those who are relatively powerless in society have to find other ways to feel powerful, to engage in behaviors that give at least a temporary sense of being powerful. This might even include attitudes of prejudice or hate toward others. It could also include abusing substances or people. Addiction to anger is an expression of the need to feel powerful.

Addicted to adrenaline. Some have claimed that almost all addictions are really addictions to adrenaline, including most of the “aholics.” Workaholics, those addicted to living dangerously, “on the edge,” those addicted to gambling, stealing, lying, even “drama queens/kings,” are all addicted to adrenaline. After all, adrenaline helps a person feel powerful, and therefore to feel like they are in control. (Sexual additions involve a combination of all of the above.)

Addictive, compulsive behaviors present a couple of overwhelming difficulties:

1.  Simple decisions to “stop” are not adequate. Because they arise out of the core of our sin nature, addictive behaviors are reinforced by our souls and our bodies. Even those who have established a pattern of overcoming realize that their brains remember those behaviors and look for opportunities to start them back up.

2.  These self-centered, self-indulgent behaviors are ultimately self-destructive. The irony is that our desire to realize our own potential by establishing the control of our own lives only leads to death and destruction, in our lives and in the lives of others.

3.  The Enemy of our lives - Satan - works to reenforce our bondage, holding chains in place, taking advantage of us at the point of our weakness. The victory must be won in our spirits, as well as our bodies and souls. 

There is ultimately only one cure to our tendency to develop compulsive behaviors – the decision in the Garden has to be reversed. The only solution is a moment-by-moment decision to fully and absolutely surrender to God’s authority and God’s control. Absolute surrender has the power to detach us from those things we have become attached to instead of God. Full surrender is the only thing that can lead us into a life of peace, contentment, rest and fulfillment. The Bible refers to this as “Sabbath Rest.” The Psalmist often sang, “Truly my soul finds rest in God” (Psalm 62:1, 5; see also 91:1; 116:7). The Lord offered through the prophet, “This is the resting place, let the weary rest” (Isaiah 28:12; see also 30:15; 32:18). Jesus invited the crowds, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). The writer to the Hebrews stated, “The promise of entering his rest still stands” (Hebrews 4:1). Finding a place of complete surrender to God’s authority and control goes against every element of our sin nature and is only possible because of the grace and forgiveness provided us in Christ. Do you long for peace and fulfillment? All your attempts to find it on your own will only lead you further down the pathway of self-destruction. But there is a rest waiting for you. Ask God to give you the power to fully surrender to him and give up all control of your life. That is the way to the abundant life Jesus longs to see you find.