It’s typical morning. We are running around, trying to get everyone out the door for school. Kids, (in mismatched clothes) are scrambling for shoes, fighting over which ones to wear. Baby Girl’s crying and throwing a fit because she had to get her teeth brushed. Breakfast dishes are gathered around the sink, bits of food hardening on the plates. I’m wrestling with Baby Girl, trying to do her hair while simultaneously hollering at the boys to stop bickering and just put some shoes on; it doesn’t even matter if they match. The table is covered in something sticky, and Cheerios are scattered on the floor. We crunch on them as we head out the door, often a few minutes late.

Sound familiar?

The control freak in me cringes. (Especially the crunching of the Cheerios.) Is it too much to ask to just have an easy morning where my children are well-behaved and dressed in perfectly matching outfits with jeans that don’t have holes in the knees? Or that Baby Girl will just sit still so I can do her hair into two perfect little pigtails? Or that I have time to at least sweep up the food on the floor so I’m not constantly stepping on food?

The control freak in me wants the Pinterest-perfect world. I want the immaculate kitchen and the flawlessly dressed children. I want to be early to school, not frazzled and spilling coffee on myself as I run out the door. I want everything perfect, spotless, beautiful, and easy.

Are you laughing with me yet?

There’s a reason this post isn’t entitled 7 Steps to a Perfectly Easy Morning Routine. (Although, if you have that, please share!) Because I have no advice on how to keep a strong hand on having everything under control.

Control is something I fight for, often to the point of exhaustion, and the Lord continues to remind me that I am not the one in control.

Fighting For Control

This extends far beyond the morning routine. I want perfect control over every aspect of my life. How many of us want to decide exactly how our lives should go? We plan out our lives in a step-by-step manner: First we get married, then we buy a house. Then we’ll have three children – two girls and a boy – exactly 2 years apart. Once the kids are in school, I’ll go back to work. We’ll go on two vacations a year. We’ll take an anniversary trip at our 5, 10, 15, 20, etc., wedding anniversary.

I do this. I’m sure you do it too. There’s nothing wrong with dreaming and planning your life. But the problem is, we don’t always like it when our life doesn’t turn out how we planned. We don’t get married right away.  We struggle having children. Jobs are lost,  and loved ones get sick. Things we prayed would never happen to us, happen. And we get angry with God.

I know because I’ve done that. I want the answers. I want to know what’s going to happen and what my next steps are going to be. And when the future seems uncertain, I pray for someone to come in and tell me what to do. Because I don’t like not having control. I like having things go according to my plan.

And I need to remind myself of the words from the Psalm:

Commit to the Lord

This is something I have to remind myself almost daily. I struggle with submitting to God’s will, and instead want to tell him what I think the best plan of action is.

Imagine having a conversation with a two-year-old, where the child is trying to tell the parent what to do: “First I want ice cream for breakfast. Then I want to go play in the street. Next I want to eat dirt, and sit in a dirty diaper. Then I want to stick stuff up my nose.” It’s laughable, isn’t it? That’s pretty much the same thing when we try and tell God how we want our life to go. Then we throw a tantrum when things don’t go our way.

Our Heavenly Father loves us more than we can even fathom! He’s already given his Son for you, would he not also guide and direct us and bless us according to his great love? There is such a comfort and relief when you finally, in your heart, let go and submit to the will of God. When you stop fretting and worrying and trying to control every little detail of your life. When you cast all your anxiety on him, because he truly does care for you.

Submit yourself to God’s will. Trust that His plan for you is better than you can ask or imagine. Wait on the Lord. Commit your way to Him. You might be stepping on Cheerios in life, but the Lord will lift you up.