What a great relief it is to know that we are not in control.

““You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” (John 3:7-8)”

One of the hardest illusions to see through is the illusion that we are in control. Not everyone is equally deceived by this illusion.

People who live in a country where there is political upheaval, economic turmoil, poverty and ongoing violence have no illusions of being in control. They know that everything can be taken from them. In the world right now, twenty seven million people are refugees.

However, those in relatively wealthy, stable countries – many people in ‘Western’ countries – are constantly under the illusion that we are in control. We can control most pain by expensive medication. We have a rule of law that protects our things and our bodies. But perhaps nothing gives the sense of complete control more than an air conditioner! Yep, push a button and even the temperature is subject to our mastery. We believe we are in control…

… until something happens that shatters the illusion. Its no surprise then that many people, especially wealthy westerners, believe that spirituality is entirely under our control too. God stands there simply waiting, waiting for us to do something. He can’t do anything, (except maybe beg), until we decide what we’re going to do with Him. But it’s all an illusion.

No one dismantles that illusion as forcefully as Jesus does. Jesus speaks of being spiritually alive as being ‘born again’. Is there anything on earth that we are less in control of than being born? Who decided when to be born? Who said to their parents, ‘I want to come into the world now’? Did anyone start the twinkle in their dad’s eye? We chose absolutely nothing about our birth: not our gender, nor race, nor parents… nothing. We weren’t consulted, we didn’t give permission and we didn’t cooperate. Once the process began there was nothing we could do to stop it.

Jesus says it’s like that when we are born again, when our spiritual life starts. We may not like this, but Jesus says, ‘Don’t be surprised.’ He says we may as well try and control the wind. The wind and the Spirit both do as they please. Even though we can’t see the Spirit (or wind), much less control the Spirit (or wind), we can hear when the wind is blowing and we can hear when the Spirit is going.

Those who have the Spirit hear what Jesus says and they hear the sound of Truth. Listening to Jesus is hearing the Spirit. This is such good news. What a beautiful relief it is to know that a Perfectly Good God is in control and not me! What would we be today if He left us in control! What would your toddler be if she was left in control? Those who are humble and honest look back over our lives and we thank God with all our being, that the Spirit was pleased to blow upon us.