What You Can Control

When the World Feels Out of Control

March 7, 2025

Many things in life are out of our control. The economy is out of our control. The weather. Our kid’s decisions. Sometimes, our health is out of our control, even when we take care of our bodies. Other people’s actions are out of our control. I could go on and on.

But, you do have some control when it comes to circumstances beyond your control… you can always control your response. How you respond to uncertainty and adversity matters.

So, how do you face an uncertain future with joy and confidence? Here are three things that ARE in your control to help you face life, no matter what happens…

1. SET UP A PLAN ANYWAY

Yes, I know, often times our plans get changed.

But, God still wants you to make plans and then, when your plans get changed, work on being flexible and trusting him. If we don’t make plans, if we aren’t intentional, time still passes and we will get to the end of our lives and wish we had been more intentional with the time God gave us. 

There was a national survey done a while back and they discovered that 27% of all the people in America have never given any thought to the future. 60% of the people gave some thought to the future, usually the area is the area of finance. 10% gave serious thought to the future. These are high achievers. But only 3% of the population had written down goals. They are the super achievers. 

When they compared the high achievers to the super achievers the only difference (the super achievers were out performing the high achievers 10 to 1) between them that those who were achieving the most had written down their goals.

Successful people set up a plan. What would you like to be better at this year than last year? Would you like to be closer to God? Yes? Then set up a plan to do that. Would you like to make more time for your family? Then set up a plan to do that. Don’t just drift through life. 

We can’t let life’s uncertainties paralyze us into drifting.

Prov 16:9 We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps. 

2. STAY IN THE WORD

Staying in the Word is totally within your control. No matter what happens, this is something you can commit to doing. 

Coming to church every week is not enough. That's like eating one meal a week; you need to eat every day. How healthy would you be if you fasted six days a week and then on the seventh day you pigged out? You'd have spiritual indigestion! You need to read the Bible everyday, feed on it everyday, not just have a big feast at Sunday dinner.

Joshua 1:8 Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.

God's promise of success is based on our commitment to His word. Why? The word of God is the owner's manual for life. It’s the recipe for living life to it’s fullest, and it always always always leads us back to the person who can help you with anything - Jesus. Stay in the Word, and draw near to him. This is key to facing an uncertain future. 

3. STEP OUT IN FAITH

I like the word "step out" because faith is action. Faith is not just believing something. Faith is action. You can believe a chair will hold you up, but you don't really have faith in it unless you sit down in it. 

This is something you can control. You can commit to stepping out in faith, knowing the Lord will lead you even if things are uncertain. 

It's an action step. It's more than just saying, "I believe." More than just believing IN Jesus. So does the devil. It means more than just knowing about Him; it means committing yourself TO Him, letting God be number one in our life, calling the shots, the CEO, the chairman of the board, helping us make the right decisions. 

You have no way to control the future. But, you CAN still have peace in the chaos. The good news is, God is in control. If we stay aware of him in every area of our lives, the future won’t scare us… even if it is uncertain.