Who is driving this thing?

Have you seen those vehicles that parallel park for you? What about those cars that drive themselves? I am not sure how I feel about a car without a real driver. Maybe the problem for me lies in control like I do not want to turn control of the car over to someone or something else. I guess this post is a confession, I am a bit of a control freak. There I said it, I got it off my chest. I often feel that my way is the only way of doing things and that everyone should do what I want them to do all the time! This even includes how I treat God sometimes, I want Him to do what I want when I want and how I want. (I know that sounded like a very spoiled rotten toddler who either needed a spanking or a really long time out!) But I am just being real here, I mean I pray and say, God, I want this, I want that and I need it by noon, and oh by the way God do it this way! Well, for all the spoiled toddlers out there like me, this is not exactly how gracious heavenly Father works.

In His word Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans of welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."  Oh, so He has the plans, he has the GPS coordinates. You know how we so easily trust Siri or Google to get us to the mall. Well Jesus, the one who died for us has the GPS coordinates for our lives, why do we (I) struggle with trusting His turn by turn instructions? Matthew 26:41 gives us a glimpse as to why we struggle with this, you see the poor disciples couldn't even stay awake and stand guard while Jesus prayed in the garden. Jesus told them, "Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. (the temptation to take the wheel of control! words of Jeanie, not Jesus!) The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."  Sometimes trust is hard and control feels like the only thing we can do, but God's plan is so much better.

I can tell you from a lifetime of experience and a 50-gallon drum of mistakes ok maybe 3 or 4 dozen 50-gallon drums of mistakes, God's plans are so much better our plans. When I pray and say, God, I want this, I want that and I want it all by noon! To which I am sure God laughs and says, silly Jeanie there she goes trying to drive her life again! He laughs not because He doesn't love me and doesn't want me to have the things I ask for, but because he has the GPS coordinates in His hands. He knows the plans, He knows what is best for me. Just like we would not let our toddlers touch a pot of hot boiling water, God is not going to let us do, or have things that will ultimately bring harm to our lives or put us way off course.

So what is our course of action, you know all of us control freaks need a course of action, a plan! It's called prayer. Lots and lots and lots of prayers. Every time, we (I) am tempted to try and tell God how to navigate my life. When we (I) am stressing out trying to plan every detail of life. Prayers, when we (I) am trying to control everyone and everything else around us (me.) Paul told us in the book of 1 Thessalonians 5:17 "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing." So the plan is step one: Rejoice, step two: Pray. To make this official control freak fashion.. step three: Worship! Another confession here, I am a worrier, and as a daughter of the King, I should not be a worrier, neither should you. I found this verse and I love it, in Psalm 94:19 "When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul." Beloved, know that when worry and anxiety well up inside you that God's got you, He has the plan, He knows the road construction, He knows the traffic, the weather, He knows it all. His consolation His comfort will bring joy to our soul.

Thank Jesus, that you have a plan for our lives, thank you that you have the GPS coordinates. Help us, Jesus, to trust you with control of our lives. Help us, Jesus, to rejoice, pray and worship you instead of being anxious and worrying.