Jesus, Take the Wheek—but I am right here with the map just in case.

Goal:

Expose the spiritual root of control not as a personality trait, but a form of unbelief—and call women to the terrifying freedom of true surrender.

🧠 Concept:

Christian women are often praised for being “put together,” “detail-oriented,” “protective,” and “disciplined.” But what if that’s just holy-sounding code for a life that’s trying to micromanage outcomes God never asked us to manage?

Control becomes:

  • Our substitute for trust

  • Our armor against uncertainty

  • Our strategy for avoiding dependency

But the truth? Control is a false god that demands everything and gives nothing back.

📚 Outline

1. 🎭 Control Wears a Christian Mask

“I’m not controlling—I’m just really responsible.”

  • Talk about how control is often rewarded in churches: the woman who gets it done, never drops the ball, leads the Bible study, brings the snacks, and texts the prayer chain.

  • But ask: what’s going on underneath?

  • Bring in examples of biblical women who were tempted to take control (Eve, Sarah, Martha)

2. 🧨 The Hidden Fear That Drives It

“If I don’t hold it together, everything will fall apart.”

  • Explore the fear behind control: fear of disappointment, abandonment, disaster, being exposed.

  • Name the real belief: “God won’t come through unless I make it happen.”

  • Tie-in: Isaiah 30:15 – “In repentance and rest is your salvation… but you would have none of it.”

3. 🔄 The Illusion of Safety

“Control doesn’t protect us. It just isolates us.”

  • We think control will give us peace, but it just gives us pressure.

  • Talk about how it affects relationships: people don’t feel trusted, and we end up lonely or bitter when others don’t meet our expectations.

  • Tie-in: Proverbs 3:5–6 – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart…”

4. 💣 When God Breaks Your Grip

“God loves you too much to let your idols succeed.”

  • Testimonies or biblical stories of God dismantling people’s illusions of control (think Jonah, Job, Peter).

  • What feels like a disaster may actually be God setting us free.

  • Invite readers to consider: Where might God be inviting you to loosen your grip—even if it hurts?

5. 🕊️ Surrender as a Strategy

“Surrender isn’t giving up—it’s getting out of the way.”

  • Redefine surrender not as laziness or apathy but as strategic obedience.

  • Jesus in the garden didn’t say, “Your will be done” with passivity—He said it with purposeful trust.

  • Practical steps: fasting from control behaviors, praying honest prayers, inviting others into the process

🙌 Conclusion: You Don’t Need the Map if You Trust the Guide

“Maybe God doesn’t want your plan. Maybe He wants your permission to wreck it and rebuild something better.”

  • Reflect on how much energy control has cost us—and how little peace it’s offered.

  • Offer a bold prayer of surrender.

  • Link to a TBM study or resource on discernment, trust, or obedience.

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The Devil Made Me Do It