282 – Who Controls You?

#faithbites #faithjourney Controls

Today’s #faithbite was described to me by my eldest. Kudos to her for wanting to give me an idea. And now, onto faithbites.

There is a game called The Sims. If you haven’t heard about this game, it’s a game where you control people (Sims) through their daily lives. You create what they look like, their personalities, their clothes, their house, everything. Then you have to help them achieve their Whims (wishes, dreams, and desires). This can be anything from going to to the bathroom, eating food, going to work, taking a showing, whoohooing (yup, it’s in there), and everything you can think of. In a sense, it’s playing God.

My eldest told me that life is like playing Sims. God is there who tells you what to do and helps you do it. But sometimes, the Devil comes in and controls you, making you do things God doesn’t want you to do. The Sims don’t know who controls them, they just do what they are told. When they do bad things (put garbage on the floor, leave the door unlocked, burn down things, be nasty to each other), my eldest says that’s the Devil controlling them as she didn’t want them to do those things.

Who controls you?

Scripture

• Many are the plans in a person’s heart,
      but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails. – Proverbs 19:21
• In their hearts humans plan their course,
      but the Lord establishes their steps. – Proverbs 16:9
• The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. – 1 John 3:8

Reflection

In days past, you heard more about demonic possession and evil spirits. Most days, we just see the evil that people do. Guess what? That is the devil. That is Sin. He doesn’t need to directly control us as we have strayed from God. The Devil just watches what we do now. Even though this world seems broken, and we don’t feel in control. God is always there. He knows his plans for us and controls us if we let him. All we have to do is turn our loves back over to him. That’s it. We just need to renounce since, renounce the Devil’s controls, and then we are saved.

If we go back to our video game, when the Sims do bad, my daughter doesn’t kick them out of the family. She doesn’t leave them to perish. She helps them do good things, accomplish their whims, and helps them live good lives. Jesus is like that. No matter how many times we sin. No matter how many times we screw up, Jesus always forgives and welcomes us.

Charge

Who controls you? Have you given yourself to the Lord? Are you willing to renounce Sin? The Lord will forgive you, give you peace, and salvation.

Lord, help me to give up control to you. Allow me to turn away from Sin. Heal my heart and forgive me. Allow me to follow your plans.