Welcome back to the Insider Journal series on expanding our belief to achieve more than we’ve ever imagined, anchored in Ephesians 3:20-21: “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.” Last time, we explored how we get in our own way by not loving the gap between where we are and where God invites us. Today, in Part 2, we’re diving into this: The world doesn’t work the way we think it should—and that’s just how we want it to be. How does our need for control actually take us out of control?

Let me share a story from my corporate days that still stings a bit when I reflect on it. Many years ago, I was leading a high-stakes project at my Fortune 500 company—a massive transformation initiative with a multi-million-dollar budget, tight deadlines, and a team spread across three continents. I was the guy in charge, and man, did I grip that wheel tight. The challenge was the entire organization didn’t directly report to me. It was matrixed management which made for constant political quagmires. One night, after pulling another all-nighter tweaking a presentation that was already solid, I fell asleep with my laptop open and an email that was NOT ready for publication on the screen. Thank God I didn’t lean on the send key. The project? It had some wins in pockets, but with the worst performing business unit in the company, the project dragged on, morale tanked, and we missed a key milestone because I couldn’t let go of the finish line I was given by my leadership. What started as a pursuit of excellence became a spiral of exhaustion and inefficiency that lacked delegation and negotiation. It nearly broke me.

This problem is all too common for us as humans: we crave control because the world feels chaotic, unpredictable, and frankly, broken. But deep down, that’s exactly how we want it—our illusion of control lets us play God in our little domains, avoiding the vulnerability of trust. The Bible calls this out in Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Yet, we resist because the straight path may lead to an outcome we didn’t want at the time. We lack an ability to be omnipotent or omnipresent like God. So the fact is if I knew the future, I will be terrified of it. Anyone who could know the future will be terrified for lack of ability to see the perspective of God. So, we pretend control and when things don’t work, they become the self fulfilling prophecies like “it is what it is.” This need for control manifests as overworking, delegating poorly if at all, or manipulating outcomes, which ironically leads to burnout, strained relationships, and missed opportunities for Kingdom impact. We tell ourselves we’re being responsible stewards, but really, it’s unbelief in disguise—doubting that God’s sovereignty is enough. As leaders juggling high demands, this tension keeps us from the “immeasurably more” because we’re too busy forcing square pegs into round holes instead of surrendering to His design.

So, what’s the action? Help your heart not be at war, by releasing control and praying God I submit my preferences to the outcome to You, but I release them and say Your will be done. In Session 3 of The Master’s Program, we explore time capacity—understanding our limits and building teams that multiply our efforts. Practically, audit where your heart is at war: list areas where you’re gripping too tight to control and it’s leading to anxiety then ask, “What if I delegated this with clear expectations?” Meditate on James 4:13-15, which warns against presuming we control tomorrow: “Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.'” Then pray, “God I submit my preferences to you. I release them to Your plan.” Coach yourself by starting small—hand off a task this week and pray for God’s power to work through others. For us in leadership roles, this means fostering cultures of trust in our organizations, where we empower teams for greater innovation and eternal perspective, rather than hoarding authority.

The resolution? When we let go, God steps in with His “immeasurably more.” After my near complete burnout, I changed my approach on that project—I moved from a “I deserve”, “I know better” control mindsets to seeing the humans who were across from me and their occurrence of the challenges we faced. The initiative not only got back on track but exceeded goals, with fresh ideas I never would have conceived alone. Personally, it freed me up to be more present in my family and was the beginning of the birth process of envisioning serving in the Middle East which led to Uncharted. Surrendering control didn’t diminish my impact – it amplified it, aligning my mindset with God’s “straight path” rather than my finite strength.

Here’s your call-to-action: This week, identify one area where control is costing you—maybe a work process or personal habit. Delegate it or release it in prayer, then journal how God shows up. Share your insights with a fellow TMP member or alum to make a growth commitment.

In the end, our need for control doesn’t fix a broken world—it breaks us further. But when we trust God’s grip instead, the chaos becomes the canvas for His glory. See you next time for Part 3.

In your corner,
Jeff

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