"I Got This!"

Recently, I found myself in conversation with two people very dear to me, and they were frustrated! They could not understand how their lives had ended up in the mess it was presently in. They could not figure out how they had arrived at such a lonely, crazy, and scary place and how to get out of it. I can relate because I myself am at a crux in my life, which is the result of bad decisions in a few different areas over time. However, I’m sick and tired of where I am, and I am not allowing myself the “free-pass” to misery I normally give myself. My God deserves better from His child, my husband and children deserve better from me, and everyone else I love and care about who also depend on me also deserves better.  As I was sharing with my loved ones recently, the answer is quite simple and it involves growth and control. As we each live life, every individual has the opportunity to grow or remain stagnant. I believe our growth process is a continual one, which is used by God to perfect our character in Him. I also believe this process is different for everyone. Sometimes people see abrupt changes or interruptions; sometimes it happens over a long period of time. There are times that individuals may be “stuck” at a particular step in the growth process because they say to themselves and everyone else, “I got this”, and they don’t do what is necessary to move on to victory. This was my problem for a very longtime, I used to say to others “I got this”, but the truth is I didn’t. The 4 steps are as follows:

1.       Lose control (sin-disobedience, unforgiving, insecurity, etc.)

2.       Out of control (recognizing chaos, frustrated because unsure of what to do)

3.       Surrender control (confession ,repentance, trust, and patience)

4.       Under control (joy, peace, and freedom from God’s deliverance)

This is demonstrated in the book of Jonah. The 4 step process Jonah endured I have seen at work in my life and the lives of those around me. The breakdown looks like this:

1.     Losing control-(Jonah 1:4-9)-Jonah had clear instruction from the Lord to go to the city of Nineveh and deliver a message on the Lord’s behalf encouraging repentance. Jonah deliberately disobeyed the Lord and decided to flee to Tarshish which was in the opposite direction of where the Lord told him to go. Disobedience to the Lord is what caused Jonah to lose control. This was manifested as a raging storm, and it threatened his life and the lives of those around him.

       Reflection: How has disobedience at times in my life affected those around me?

2.     Out of control- (Jonah 1:10-16)-The ship that Jonah was aboard was being tossed by the dangerous storm. Once the other passengers knew what Jonah had done after he admitted his sin, they asked Jonah what they should do with him. Jonah told them to toss him overboard. The men did not listen initially and continued Jonah’s disobedience and tried to outrun the storm, yet the storm did not relent and it worsened. The men had to admit something that Jonah had already realized; their life was presently out of control. Jonah had to admit his wrongdoing and deal with the consequences. The men had to throw Jonah overboard and asked the Lord not to hold them responsible for what they supposed would be Jonah’s death. After they did this the storm ceased.

       Reflection: I’ve been stuck at this step for a long time because I thought it was my lot in life to stay here. I also have tried to manipulate God with my emotions during this phase to provoke Him to move. It didn’t work.

3.     Surrender control-(Jonah1:17, 2:1-9) The Lord had already prepared a fish to swallow Jonah and Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for 3 days and 3 nights.  Jonah did something while in the fish’s belly, he prayed. In his prayer he acknowledged who God was, His position in Jonah’s life, and he willingly surrendered all control to God.

       Reflection: Once I reflected on who God is, what He has done in my life, and His power and might my my perspective changed (internal chaos has ceased). This is where I currently am with several issues in my life as I continue to wait on God’s timing for my situation to change. This is very difficult to do, to hope and not see any changes; it’s a test of my faith.

4.     Under control-(Jonah2:10) After Jonah prayed and truly surrendered to the Lord, something happened. The Lord commanded the fish to vomit Jonah onto dry land. Once Jonah reflected on the Lord’s goodness, power, and majesty he was able to see himself and this allowed him to willingly surrender to the Lord. At this, the Lord made a paradigm shift in Jonah’s life and now Jonah could enjoy the safety and security of being submitted under the one who controls all, God himself. Throughout the book of Jonah he still had struggles but he did what the Lord commanded him to do, and the people of Nineveh benefited from that.  

       Reflection: I learned from Jonah that I may not necessarily like what God is asking me to do, but my obedience and trust in God could affect more people than I realize, such as with the people of Nineveh. Jonah’s obedience literally saved their lives. There is no denying the peace I experience in my life when it is under control because I allow God to be in charge of it! God bless you.