Surrendering Control

Richard Byrd was a polar explorer who spent five months alone in a shack in the Antarctic in 1934. During a brutal storm where temperatures hit -80°F, Byrd was nearly killed by carbon monoxide poisoning from a faulty stove. He was weak, freezing, and completely cut off from the world. He spent days obsessing over the weather, the equipment, and his chances of survival. He realized that his frantic worry was actually draining the physical energy he needed to survive.

He wrote in his journal: “I finally realized that I was trying to control the wind and the cold. Once I accepted that the storm was going to do what the storm was going to do, a strange peace came over me. I stopped fighting the atmosphere and started focusing on my next breath.” Admiral Byrd discovered a spiritual truth in the ice: You cannot fight the atmosphere of your life. You cannot control the "storms" of external circumstances. When we stop trying to "muscle" the wind, we find the strength to focus on what God has actually put in our hands.

The disciples were expert fishermen in a life-threatening storm. They exhausted their own skills before turning to Jesus (Mk 4:35-41). They were worried about the waves (external/uncontrollable), while Jesus was sleeping (internal peace). Worry stems from a lack of trust in the Presence in the boat rather than the Power of the storm.

A massive coalition of armies was marching toward Judah. Jehoshaphat was “alarmed." He admitted total lack of control: "We have no power to face this vast army... We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you" (2 Chron 20:12). God’s response was, "The battle is not yours, but God’s." When we relinquish control, we allow God to take the lead.

Peter was scheduled for execution the next day. He was chained between two soldiers. He was sleeping so soundly that the angel had to strike him on the side to wake him up. Peter had reached the end of his agency. He couldn't pick the locks or fight the guards, so he chose the only thing he could control: his rest (Acts 12:1-5).

We live in a "DIY" culture. We have apps to track our sleep, our stocks, and our calories. We believe that if we just have enough data, we can control the outcome. Worry is the price we pay for the illusion that we are in control.

It’s important, however, to distinguish between “healthy concern” and “unhealthy anxiety” (what Jesus refers to as “worry” in the Sermon on the Mount). Concern leads to action (things within your control). Worry leads to paralysis (things outside your control). You can control how much you study (concern); you cannot control the difficulty of the exam (worry).

If your husband loses his job, or if your mother is diagnosed with cancer, you should be concerned. This concern should lead to proper action (sending out resumes, seeking proper treatment, etc). But bad news should not take away a Christian’s peace. We only worry about things outside our control if we don't trust the One who is in control. Focus on the Sovereignty and Goodness of God. If He is Sovereign but not Good, we should be terrified. If He is Good but not Sovereign, we should be worried. Because He is both, we can rest.

Trying to white-knuckle our circumstances leads to stress and exhaustion, while a posture of surrender that says, "Lord, I give you my children, my health, my job, my house, and my future” leads to peace. Consider a small child in the back seat of a car. They don't have a steering wheel, they don't know the route, and they can't see over the dashboard. Yet, they often fall asleep. Why? Because they trust the one who is driving.

In Matt 6:34, Jesus reminds us that "each day has enough trouble of its own." As we begin this new year, let’s stop “pre-living” tomorrow’s problems today.