Control, Fear, God

Control: How Letting Go Can Beat Your Fears

Jeanne Takenaka

@JeanneTakenaka +Jeanne Takenaka

Surprise! I’m posting on a Monday! Actually, my friend, Jerusha Agen, asked me to guest post on her site this week. So, I wanted to share this post with you, my readers, in my little space.

For anyone who’s read my blog this year, you know our family has had some challenges. You also know that I like control. I like to be able to predict what’s going to happen. Heck, I like to control the outcomes of every situation. 

But God . . . 

He has a way of taking situations out of my control. And, as He allowed things to unfold this year, He showed me some things about myself that are not . . . shall we say, pretty. For example, what drives my desire for control . . .

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I’m just going to say it. I hate not being in control. I’ve played tug-of-war with God for years over who’s in control of my life. I would yank on that rope, thinking I had control of my plans and dreams, and that God would come alongside and nod agreement to my plans.

I know. Silly me.

And then He tugs back when life circumstances overwhelm me with their bigness . . . 

I’ll see you over at the Fear Warrior blog for the rest of this post.

Published by Jeanne Takenaka

Award winning aspiring novelist, Jeanne Takenaka, writes contemporary inspirational fiction that tackles real life issues with a heart to draw women closer to God and those around them. She lives near the mountains in Colorado with her amazing husband and two exuberant boy-men. She loves being God’s girl—always learning about His grace, hanging out with friends and enjoying a great cup of coffee. When she’s not writing you can find her with a camera in her hand, looking for #alittlebitofpretty in her days.

10 thoughts on “Control: How Letting Go Can Beat Your Fears”

  1. I’m so delighted to have you as my guest on the Fear Warrior Blog, Jeanne! I do hope your readers will pop over for your super encouraging post. It really spoke to me!

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  2. Coming from a highly dysfunctional family, then an abusive marriage, control is at the top of my list. But I am finding as I am recovering from surgery, control of my body and things I normally do have gone out the window. And that is very concerning and really make me rely on God to get me through. Control sometimes just needs to be given up, regardless of how hard.

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    1. Awww, Anita, I can see how control becomes a safe place when you’ve come out of the background you have. It can be so hard to give up our “control,” but God does have his ways of showing us how much He loves us when we trust Him. I’m saying a prayer for you today as you continue to recover from your surgery.

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  3. Thank you for this honest, inspiring post, Jeanne. I love how God showed you that fear can be the underlying issue of wanting to be in control. So true. It’s a tough learning curve, but thanks to God’s grace and patience, we can learn to surrender more and more to His control and His plan. Love and hugs to you!

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    1. Trudy, isn’t it amazing how sneaky fear is? How it masquerades as sometimes “noble” qualities? It is a tough learning curve to relinquish control to the One who loves me most. It seems, for me, surrender comes one item at a time. I’m so thankful that, ultimately, God is in control, and that He loves His children so much. Thanks for stopping by! Love and hugs back, my friend!

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  4. I also have a control problem. I love to be in control, even of the smallest thing, like the running route my hubby and I will take. Surrender is not easy. Patience is not easy. Only by the grace of God do I have even a small amount of either. Heading over to read the rest of the post!

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    1. Laurie, I like how you point out the vast differences between control and surrender. Surrender is harder in the short run, but isn’t there something freeing about relinquishing control to the Lord and trusting Him with the things we held tightly to? I so appreciate you reading!

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