HEART NOTES: Scriptures for a More Intimate Walk with Jesus
What or who controls your life?
At different stages in my life, there have been a myriad of controlling factors that held sway over me. You, too?
In childhood, my parents controlled my life. They decided what I would wear, what I would eat, where I would go, and how I would act. (Oh, yes, that bolo paddle applied with a heavy hand to my backside had a lot to do with how I acted.)
In my teen years, peer pressure exerted way more control over me than it should have. Enough said.
By my late teen years, I was so controlled by anorexia that it was almost deadly. The desire to be thin controlled what I ate, how I thought, the way I acted, and the words that I spoke. Truly, it was an all-consuming demon that nearly killed me.
In my twenties and early thirties, I had become such a control-freak that I attempted to control, not only my life, but tried to control the lives of those around me. It was all a mirage, although I didn’t realize it. It was also hideously sinful, because it caused me to exhibit traits that were polar opposites of the Fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and gentleness.
If only I had allowed Psalm 119:133 to hold sway over my heart and life in those seasons, I would have not been ruled by sin.
Let my steps be guided by your word; and let not sin have control over me. Psalm 119:133 (BBE)
It was not until I immersed myself in the study of the Scriptures that I learned the benefits of allowing God’s Word to guide my steps. As I drew closer to Jesus through in-depth Bible study, I began to see the sinfulness of my controlling thoughts and actions. Slowly I gave up control of my life, and the lives of those I love, to Jesus. My heart began to beat on the frequency of Christ’s, and I saw a new way to live and love beautifully displayed in His Word.
Where I had made my own way, I asked Jesus for guidance. Where my tongue had uttered profanity and hurt, I now ceded control of my tongue to the Holy Spirit. In those situations where I had passed judgment on others, I began to see that judgment for what it was…sin. Where my dress had been inappropriate, I now allowed modesty to choose my clothing. Where gossip had been shared with little thought of the hurt it caused, I now closed my mouth and kept silent.
There are so many places in my life where God’s Word has effected huge changes in my heart. I still have a long way to go, but I am so thankful for the guiding, guarding, correcting power of Scripture. It is life to me. It can be life to you.
