You Are the Captain('s) [Devotional 012]

Beautiful isn’t it? The eloquent nature of poem has a unique way of speaking directly to the soul. It finds you where you are and opens the door to your own circumstantial interpretation. 

I am the master of my fate…. The captain of my soul

Powerful. I am not sure about you, but for me, that speaks. It motivates me to be more, to do more, to take control. Unfortunately, if my life has taught me anything it is that I am most definitely not the master of my fate, and without a doubt not the captain of my soul. This illusion of control is the very nature behind our lack of obedience to Christ and his plan over our lives. Matt Chandler of The Village Church says it this way, “This is man-centered nonsense, an overestimation of our ability to pull things off, especially at the deeper levels of meaning and existence.”

Henley’s words, though beautifully written, personify and tap into our human desire to control the ship that is our life. As each of us fight the wind and waves that daily life hurls our way, we very quickly realize that our control over this ship is minimal, and our capacity to steer is that of an inexperienced seaman. The thought of being in total control of our fate and soul is flat out exhausting. We’ve all dug our heels in and tried taking matters into our own hands, but striving to steer the ship you clearly can’t control only leads to the questioning of Christ and his purpose for your current circumstances.

The Bible’s advice? Let go. Let God take control. AKA Let go and let God. I love you enough to tell you… you cannot steer this ship. Do not take one hand off the wheel, but both.

 Your weakness is one of the very ways in which God is most glorified. Your job is not to steer the ship. Stop trying. Rather, be a faithful seaman whom at the end of the journey can hear from the captain… “Well done my good and faithful servant. “

Letting go of your illusion of control allows you to be more present in the lives around you. You no longer must worry about steering our ship; you can now hone your focus in on the tasks at hand. Be a catalyst in the lives around you, shine a light in your daily walk, be a catalyst for his grace, speak truth, win souls, bridge gaps, BE the hands and feet of Christ.

So I ask you… What is the current mission field God has you in? What is he calling you to let go of so that you can be more active for His kingdom? Who crosses your path daily that needs to hear about God’s love?

As long as you are holding onto control, you cannot do the necessary tasks at hand to aid your ships journey. Let God focus on the seas to come and let him navigate the waters while you focus on your obedience to the tasks he has called you to, after all… they may just play a role in getting the ship to it’s final destination.

Sharable Quotes

- Quinn Rivera // Humbled Daily Co-founder, doctor in training and aspiring professional lover of life.