Control, Influence And Peace

With everything going on in the world it’s hard to determine where I should stand. What is God calling me to do?

The chart above is called Circles of Control. Understanding what this chart shows is what I try to do every day. I’m not perfect, but that focus keeps me grounded in what’s important.

The concept of the chart is to understand what I can control, what I might influence, what I can neither control nor influence, and who’s sovereign over it all.

Starting from the top, the largest circle numbered 5 represents God’s sovereignty over everything in all the other circles. There is nothing that escapes Him and he will judge everything in His timing.

The next circle numbered 4 represents what goes on in my city, state, country, and the world. There is absolutely nothing in this sphere that I can control and the only influence I have, small as it is, is to always vote within my country, state and city. To focus my thoughts and energies on what’s going on in this circle just creates frustration and anger and takes my focus off of God. I’m not the judge of what goes on in my city, state, country, and the world, that’s God’s responsibility, and, in His time He will deal with it all.

The next circle numbered 3 represents my extended family and acquaintances. Again, I cannot exert any control over them. I might influence them very slightly by my example of trying to follow Jesus, even imperfectly. Whether I influence them or not is not within my control, that’s up to God.

The next circle numbered 2 represents Betty, my children, grandchildren, close friends and family. Again, I cannot exert any control over them, but in our closeness my example of trying to follow Jesus might have a slightly better influence on them. Again, whether my influence has any effect or not is not something I can control. I leave that to God.

Finally, the last, smallest circle of control, numbered 1, is me. If all the above is true and it is, then the only control I have in this world is my desire to follow Jesus every moment of every day as best as I can and to trust in the sovereignty of God over all the other circles.

I’m commanded by Jesus to love God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength, and to love my neighbor as myself. It’s in the relinquishing of control to God over all the other circles that frees me to try my best to follow Jesus’ command to love those closest to me and even those with whom I disagree. That brings me peace.