Strategies for Dealing with Crisis: Control
One of the most common stressors when a crisis arises, is the loss of control we feel. This is especially seen in those of us who like to be in control and to have our hand in the outcome of a situation. When we lose that ability because of a crisis, it makes us feel somewhat helpless and hopeless. To handle the crisis better, we must learn to focus on controlling what we can but allow God to handle the rest.
As I think about this idea of control and how this played out in the times of the scriptures, I am reminded of one person who seemed to struggle with letting go of control. It seems time and time again, throughout the gospel accounts, Peter kept trying to control the situation. Here is the classic example of a “control freak.” When Jesus tries to tell the disciples that He must die, it is Peter who steps up and says “no,” and Jesus responds by saying, “get behind me, Satan.” Peter also wanted to build tents for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah on the mount of transfiguration. Then the night of Jesus’ arrest, it was Peter who took charge and tried to control the situation by pulling out his sword. In each of these cases, we see that Jesus puts Peter back in his place, reminding him that God is in control.
Just like Peter, we can find ourselves trying to control things only God controls. When we do this, we cannot expect things to work out the way we desire. Jeremiah 10:23 says that the way of man is not in himself. The way of man is in God. Sure, there are some things that we can control in our everyday lives, such as waking up and showering and getting off to a good start to our day. These are the things that we can control in our lives and are the things that we must focus on in times of crisis when we desire to control the situation. When we stay in our lane and let God handle his, things will work out. 1 Thessalonians 5:8-9 puts it this way, “But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Chris.”
