Sometimes the things that frustrate us most are the things we care about most.
Years ago, while serving as a drill sergeant at Fort Jackson, I became increasingly frustrated with things I couldn’t control. Some of those frustrations were legitimate. But eventually I began to realize something uncomfortable:
I thought I was fighting for control, but in some ways I had actually given it away.
The circumstances weren’t just affecting me. They were beginning to determine what I brought into the room—my attitude, my patience, and sometimes the way I responded to other people.
That’s a lesson I’ve had to relearn more than once.
We don’t get to choose everything life puts in front of us. We won’t agree with every decision. People will disappoint us. Plans will change. Difficult seasons will come.
But those things don’t have to set the terms for who we become.
You may have made mistakes. Surely I have. You may have messed some things up. I’ve messed so much stuff up.
Grace means those mistakes don’t have to have the final word.
We can recognize where we’ve given away control, learn from it, and take another step toward becoming the person we want to be.
One Small Step
What’s one area of my life where I’ve allowed something—or someone—to have too much control over my response?
Then ask:
What’s one small thing I can do this week to begin taking that control back?
You may not be able to change the situation this week.
But perhaps you can begin changing what you bring to it.
One pebble. A thousand ripples.
Grace for the Next Chapter 
Leave a comment