Why Won’t I Let God Take Control?
By Rick Warren

“Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. . . . Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God” (Romans 6:12-13 NLT).

Every day you are controlled by something. You may be controlled by your ego or by the expectations of other people. You may be controlled by fear or guilt or resentment or bitterness. You may be controlled by a substance or a habit. But you are controlled by something every day.

Freedom comes when you choose what’s going to control you. When you choose Jesus Christ to be in control of your life, when you are mastered by the Master, you can master everything else. If God is not number one in your life, something else is, and it will control you to a negative degree. When Christ is in control of your life, he always moves you in the right direction.

Romans 6:12-13 says, “Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. . . . Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God” (NLT).

What are the steps in this choice to let Christ have control?

  • Admit that you’ve been trying to play God.
  • Admit that you can’t change on your own.
  • Humbly ask God to change you.
  • Be honest with someone else about the things that need to change in your life.
  • Give Jesus Christ total ownership of your life.

Do you really want to change? Are you willing to do these things? You say, “I’m so tired of trying and failing.” Stop trying. Instead, start trusting. God gives you the option to either depend on him or depend on yourself. The result is either freedom or frustration.

Why not give it all to Christ? What do you have to lose?

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Talk It Over

What character traits or circumstances affect your willingness to give control of your life to God?

In what ways have you been trying to play God?

What do you think it means to give yourself completely to God?

For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit pastorrick.com!

Gain confidence in your prayer life

Prayer is a simple concept. It’s just a conversation with God.

But at the same time, prayer can be intimidating. After all, you’re talking to the Almighty! It can be hard to know how to ask for your requests, and anticipate how God will answer.

That’s why Rick Warren’s just-released resource called Experience God’s Power Through Prayer is so powerful. It’s not a passive book to simply read, but an interactive, guided experience to help you gain confidence in your prayer life.

Experience God’s Power Through Prayer shows you how to…

• Develop a daily habit of prayer
• Pray expectantly for yourself and others
• Trust God to answer your prayers
• Understand the benefits of memorizing Scripture
• Express your gratitude to God
• Cultivate a courageous faith

Experience God’s Power Through Prayer is our gift to thank you for your donation to help more people learn, love, and live the Word through Daily Hope. So request your copy when you give below.

Thank you for making an eternal investment!

This devotional © 2017 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

You can listen to Rick Warren on OnePlace.com.