If you're new to the blog and/or this series, Undistracted Devotion, I recommend you begin with the series introduction by going HERE. This will help frame the context of the material to come and set the foundation for moving forward with the intended background thoughts and scriptures in mind.
Today we're looking at another primary way we can lose sight of Christ and become distracted and divided in our devotion to Him. This is the pursuit of power, influence, and the elevation of self which all fall under the idea of control.
From our earliest days, we all have a desire to exert authority over our lives and what happens to us. We have an innate goal of making things that impact us go the way we want and work in our favor. As we mature, this idea becomes more ingrained in our psyche by society and the marketing messages we receive. We're instilled with the ideas that strength equals power, putting yourself first is necessary to reach your goals, and that you can improve yourself through self-improvement disciplines so that you are able to create the life you want. From what we see highlighted in media, popular books hitting the best seller lists, and the ever-expanding genre of social media influencers touting their "steps to success", it communicates the message that with the right focus, enough persistence, more knowledge, and by following the right steps we will be able to be "large and in-charge" over our lives. And for many it seems they'v achieved this! Yet we continually see stars, celebrities, influencers, and the wealthiest among us ultimately reveal that all is not as it seems. Often there is personal dissatisfaction, damaged relationships, addiction, and the constant fear of losing it all.
I submit to you that this is because the idea of total. power, influence, and control on our part is a facade. We cannot control nature. We cannot always control the actions of others. We cannot control many external forces. And we can't really control internal forces. We can do our best to take steps and create habits that put us in a position to reap the most benefit, but ultimately the result can often miss the mark of what we envisioned. Humanity often puffs itself up in the knowledge it has obtained. We think our intellect gives us the ultimate authority.
Yet we find sobering words in scripture that reveal Christ desires something different for those called by His name; and that true power, influence, and control are in His hands. To find true power is to surrender it to the ONLY ONE who is over all things.
Paul writes these words to the church in Corinth:
"and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of mankind, but on the power of God." 1 Corinthians 2:4-5
and
"And He (Christ) has said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.' Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weakness, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I delight in weakness, in insults, in distress, in persecutions, in difficulties, in behalf of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong." - 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
Seeking control over our worldly circumstances provides a false sense of safety and leads us to focus our attention on what we can do, not on what we trust the Lord to do. The very nature of elevating ourselves unseats Christ from the throne of our hearts. A great danger in the movement of personal development/personal success is that at its core is the principle of elevating ourselves by our efforts and achieving status and control over our lives. The pursuit of "bettering ourselves" is not necessarily wrong, but we need to consider the following questions:
1) Why? Why are we desiring to improve and what is our end purpose?
2) Are we looking more like Christ or more like the world as we take that journey?
3) Are we living in dependence on Christ just as He lived in dependence on His Heavenly Father?
We need to honestly step back and assess our desires, motives, and actions in light of Christ and truly discern whether we're walking in step with where He leads and how He provides or if we're trying to make things happen our way. Is Christ the central and supreme initiator in our lives? Do we trust that if we just walk in obedience to Him each day that He'll provide what we need?
The kingdom of God is not about what we can attain and build up in earthly measurements. It's not about how great we are and the security we can hold. It is about knowing that God provides for our needs and our satisfaction is to be found in whatever that looks like.
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