Control is not just a bad habit. It is a false religion.
It tells a story: the world is chaotic, God is absent or insufficient, and the only way to be safe is to become your own god.
This is why control is so exhausting — it demands worship.
The Anthropology of Control
Humans are meaning-makers. We crave order, security, and predictability. These are not wrong in themselves — they reflect our design for God’s peace.
But sin bends these desires inward. Instead of resting in God’s reign, we enthrone self-sovereignty. We clutch for mastery over people, outcomes, and futures.
At its core, control is an attempt to rewrite the story of Genesis:
- God: “Be fruitful, multiply, and trust My care.”
- Humanity: “No — we will grasp for knowledge and secure ourselves.”
Every anxious checklist, every sleepless night, every clenched jaw is an echo of Eden’s grasp.
Control in the Biblical Story
- Adam and Eve grasp for knowledge “like God” and lose Eden.
- Israel demands kings “like the nations” to secure them — and inherits tyranny.
- The Pharisees multiply laws to control righteousness — and crush souls.
- Pilate clings to order through violence — and delivers Jesus to the cross.
At every turn, control corrupts. It never secures; it enslaves.
The False God Exposed
Control functions exactly like an idol:
- It promises safety.
- It demands sacrifice. (sleep, joy, relationships)
- It multiplies rituals. (checklists, backups, contingency plans)
- It never satisfies.
Like Baal or Mammon, control leaves its worshippers restless.
The Surrender of Jesus
Against this backdrop, Jesus lives an utterly surrendered life:
- In the wilderness, He resists the temptation to grasp power.
- In Gethsemane, He releases control: “Not my will, but Yours be done.”
- On the cross, He entrusts Himself: “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.”
This is not resignation. It is active trust — the refusal to enthrone self-sovereignty. His surrender is the path of redemption.
The True Sovereignty of God
The good news of the gospel is not that God prevents every storm, but that He reigns over them.
“In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” (Isaiah 30:15)
God’s sovereignty frees us from playing God. It reframes life not as a project to control, but as a gift to receive.
Surrender, then, is not weakness. It is worship.
Why This Matters
In a culture obsessed with safety and mastery, surrender looks naïve. But biblically, it is the essence of faith. To cling to control is to enthrone a false god. To release control is to return to the true God.
Every clenched fist must open. Every idol must topple. Every anxious ritual must give way to worship.
This is why surrender leads to peace: because you were never meant to carry sovereignty.
Reflection
- Where do I treat control as savior?
- What sacrifices am I making at its altar (sleep, joy, love)?
- What would it look like this week to pray Jesus’ prayer: “Not my will, but Yours be done”?