Control Freak

How many times have we heard this statement, “Everything is going to work out because “God is in control”?
I mean seriously, how many times have I even made this proclamation from the pulpit?

Is God really “in control?”

If God is in control then why does this world seem to be so out of control? Why is there hatred, sickness, and disease? Why is alcohol and drugs ruining lives? Why do we have wars, crimes and murder? If God is in control why are people starving and going without the basic needs to sustain life? And if God is really in control then why does sin even exist?

Where was this statement birthed, and have we misinterpreted, misquoted and maybe just maybe misused it?

Maybe this declaration echo’s from Paul’s words where he writes this to the Romans in chapter 8 verse 9... “You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.”

I believe we need to come to a deeper understanding - a revelation if you will - that we totally take this “God is in control” thing out of context. We seem to treat this statement or quote as if everything that has happened, everything that is happening and everything that will ever happen is within God’s will for us as individuals and for this world. But for all appearances sake that really can-not be true.

The Word of God has specific truths about what God’s will is and what His will is not. For instance, 2 Peter tells us that God “doesn’t want anyone to perish, but He wants everyone to come to repentance.” But the fact of the matter is, not everyone repents and they do perish. So how can we say that He is in control?

I guess what I’m trying to point out is that essentially if God is in control the way we’ve morphed the truth into being, then that would make Him less of a loving Father and more like this obsessed control freak who manipulates us like His marionette puppets.

To properly rephrase the “God is in control” philosophy maybe we should follow it up with, “But only if we follow His leading or only if we are obedient to His Word and Spirit.” Or maybe we should replace the “God is in control” with “God will have the last word and what happens between now and then is not left up to chance but to choice.” I know it’s a little lengthier but in my world, I find it to be more accurate.