We all love to save the day and be a hero, but when do we leave room for God to take the reins?
We are often asked to take part in battles greater than our capability. We can easily become deluded by wrongly crediting the source of power and authority to face these battles.
Even though, as Christians, we are expected to face these battles from the front line, we must not only acknowledge God is the one who gives us victory, but also he is the one who fights the battles.
One of the toughest tasks can be leaving a duty in someone else's hands. I suppose for us, especially in a work environment, this would be equivalent to delegating a role, or relying on someone working alongside you to do their part.
With our Christian walk, it can sort of feel like this: we have to delegate tasks to God, but then feel like we have to take the reins because we aren't certain any progress is being made, or this progress isn't what we expected.
And perhaps this is where our issue lies. Since we live out our lives on the frontlines seeing miracles happen before our eyes and as we speak, we all too easily develop a superhero complex; we believe we have the power and authority, we believe the victory is ours.
The true source
It is essential we recognise and give credit to the true source of these gifts. They are not of our own doing, but are obtained purely from the grace of God.
Recall Balaam's donkey in Numbers chapter 22. God decided to use him as the messenger. The same applies to us today. We are blessed when God decides to give us the front row scenic view of miracles happening around us because he could've just as easily used someone or even something else.
Deep down we should all know God is more capable than we are. God has more control and power and he is actually the one who gets us through the trials.
Try not to feel too strong in your own abilities. This doesn't mean rejecting progress in your spiritual walk, but rather acknowledging the source of progress is God himself. Don't deny him the credit because this is when we fall into the trap of trusting in our own abilities. And when we do this, the mistakes start to come rolling in and strength goes out the door.
Strength found in weakness
Remember: 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'(2 Corinthians chapter 12, verse 9)
Try declaring your weakness and asking God to help you. This is a good mindset to have, and a good reminder we aren't the ones sourcing the power.
It is not simply an isolated issue for those going through tough times, but also for those in a period of reprieve. For those facing the troubles of life, it is especially important to give not just the glory, but also the responsibility and control to God.
So let go of the controls of your life... that's right, gently ease your hand off the remote, because God does have a special plan in mind for you. All you have to do is give in to his will, give God the controls to your life, and leave the rest to him.
Tim Robertson is from Sydney, and likes to write about recent learnings in the hope that other people may also benefit from them.
Tim Robertson's previous articles may be found at www.pressserviceinternational.org/tim-robertson.html
