Embracing Sanity: Letting Go of Control and Trusting God

 

Summary

In our journey through life, we often grapple with the tension between our desires and the moral claims on our lives. This struggle can lead us to a place of futility, where we mistakenly believe we can control everything, akin to playing God. This illusion of control is a form of insanity, as it contradicts the essence of the Serenity Prayer, which calls for acceptance, courage, and wisdom. Insanity, in this context, is the refusal to accept what we cannot change and the futile attempt to change what we cannot, especially when it comes to other people and circumstances.

Sanity, on the other hand, is rooted in the understanding that a life driven by self-will is bound to fail. This is illustrated in the story of "The Truman Show," where the protagonist, Truman, discovers the artificiality of his world and chooses to leave it. Similarly, we often try to orchestrate our lives and the lives of others, believing that if everything goes according to our plan, happiness will follow. However, this is a delusion, as it leads to selfishness, anger, and self-pity when things don't go our way.

The root of our problem is selfishness, which leads to spiritual and moral insanity. We often justify our irritability and ego-driven actions by claiming we don't have enough time, yet God, who created time, has given us enough time to do what He wills for us each day. Recognizing this is a step towards sanity, as it allows us to let go of our futile attempts to control everything and instead trust in God's plan.

Step two of the spiritual journey involves believing that a power greater than ourselves, God, can restore us to sanity. This step is deeply woven into spiritual life and requires us to acknowledge our lost state and our need for transformation. By setting our minds on God and accepting reality as it is, we open ourselves to His transformative power. This involves accepting ourselves, others, and the circumstances of our lives, and seeking to view them through God's perspective.

Are you willing to believe in a God who loves you and wants to transform your mind? If so, place yourself in His hands and continue on this journey of spiritual growth, trusting that He can restore you to sanity.

Key Takeaways:

1. The Illusion of Control: We often fall into the trap of believing we can control everything, which leads to a form of insanity. True sanity involves accepting what we cannot change and having the courage to change what we can, aligning with the principles of the Serenity Prayer. [03:21]

2. Self-Will vs. God's Will: A life driven by self-will is bound to fail. We must recognize that our attempts to orchestrate our lives and the lives of others are futile and lead to selfishness and dissatisfaction. Instead, we should seek to align our will with God's will. [04:25]

3. The Root of Selfishness: Our basic problem is selfishness, which leads to spiritual and moral insanity. By acknowledging this, we can begin to let go of our ego-driven actions and trust in God's plan for our lives. [06:50]

4. Time and God's Will: The belief that we don't have enough time is a form of insanity. God has given us enough time to do what He wills for us each day. Recognizing this allows us to let go of our futile attempts to control everything and trust in God's timing. [08:11]

5. Step Towards Sanity: Believing in a power greater than ourselves, God, can restore us to sanity. This involves acknowledging our lost state and our need for transformation, setting our minds on God, and accepting reality as it is. [10:55]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [02:40] - The Moral Claim on Our Lives
- [03:21] - The Serenity Prayer and Insanity
- [04:25] - Understanding Sanity
- [05:08] - The Illusion of Control
- [06:50] - Selfishness and Insanity
- [07:23] - The Myth of Not Enough Time
- [08:11] - God's Timing and Our Tasks
- [09:13] - Spiritual and Moral Insanity
- [10:05] - Acknowledging Our Lost State
- [10:55] - Believing in God's Transformative Power
- [11:35] - Accepting Reality and Letting Go
- [12:20] - Continuing the Journey of Faith
- [12:37] - Series and Book Information
- [13:17] - Prayer and Community Connection

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Genesis 3:5 - "For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
2. Matthew 6:34 - "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
3. Romans 12:2 - "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."

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Observation Questions:

1. In the sermon, what is described as the "illusion of control," and how does it relate to the concept of insanity? [03:21]

2. How does the story of "The Truman Show" illustrate the struggle between self-will and God's will? [04:40]

3. What does the sermon suggest is the root cause of spiritual and moral insanity? [06:50]

4. According to the sermon, how does the belief that we don't have enough time contribute to our spiritual struggles? [08:11]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the desire to "be like God" in Genesis 3:5 relate to the sermon’s discussion on the illusion of control and self-will? [05:23]

2. In what ways does Matthew 6:34 challenge the notion of trying to control every aspect of our lives, as discussed in the sermon? [08:11]

3. How does Romans 12:2's call for transformation and renewal of the mind connect with the sermon’s message about sanity and spiritual growth? [10:55]

4. What does the sermon suggest about the relationship between acknowledging our limitations and finding peace in God's plan? [11:35]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you tried to control a situation or person. How did it affect your peace of mind, and what could you have done differently to align with the principles of the Serenity Prayer? [03:21]

2. Consider the areas in your life where you might be acting out of self-will rather than seeking God's will. What steps can you take to surrender these areas to God? [04:25]

3. Identify a situation where you felt you didn't have enough time. How can you reframe your perspective to trust in God's timing and provision? [08:11]

4. Think about a recent instance where selfishness led to conflict or dissatisfaction. How can you practice selflessness and trust in God's plan in similar situations in the future? [06:50]

5. Are there aspects of your life where you struggle to accept reality as it is? How can you seek God's perspective to find peace and transformation in these areas? [11:35]

6. How can you actively set your mind on God daily to experience transformation and renewal, as encouraged in Romans 12:2? [10:55]

7. What practical steps can you take this week to let go of trying to direct your own story and instead trust in God's narrative for your life? [11:35]

Devotional

Day 1: The Illusion of Control
In our lives, we often fall into the trap of believing we can control everything around us. This belief leads to a form of insanity, as it contradicts the principles of the Serenity Prayer, which calls for acceptance, courage, and wisdom. True sanity involves recognizing the limits of our control and accepting what we cannot change. This acceptance allows us to focus on what we can change and align our actions with a higher purpose. By letting go of the illusion of control, we open ourselves to a more peaceful and fulfilling life. [03:21]

"For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ." (1 Corinthians 2:16, ESV)

Reflection: Identify an area in your life where you are trying to exert control. How can you practice acceptance and let go of this need for control today?


Day 2: Self-Will vs. God's Will
A life driven by self-will is bound to fail, as it leads to selfishness and dissatisfaction. We often try to orchestrate our lives and the lives of others, believing that if everything goes according to our plan, happiness will follow. However, this is a delusion. Instead, we should seek to align our will with God's will, trusting that His plan is greater than our own. By surrendering our self-will, we can find true fulfillment and peace. [04:25]

"Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established." (Proverbs 16:3, ESV)

Reflection: Consider a decision you are currently facing. How can you seek God's will in this situation rather than relying solely on your own understanding?


Day 3: The Root of Selfishness
Our basic problem is selfishness, which leads to spiritual and moral insanity. We often justify our ego-driven actions by claiming we don't have enough time, yet God has given us enough time to do what He wills for us each day. Recognizing this allows us to let go of our futile attempts to control everything and instead trust in God's plan. By acknowledging our selfishness, we can begin to let go of our ego-driven actions and embrace a more selfless way of living. [06:50]

"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves." (Philippians 2:3, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on a recent interaction where selfishness may have influenced your actions. How can you approach similar situations with humility and selflessness in the future?


Day 4: Time and God's Will
The belief that we don't have enough time is a form of insanity. God has given us enough time to do what He wills for us each day. Recognizing this allows us to let go of our futile attempts to control everything and trust in God's timing. By aligning our tasks with God's will, we can find peace and purpose in our daily lives. Trusting in God's timing helps us to prioritize what truly matters and to let go of unnecessary stress and anxiety. [08:11]

"So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom." (Psalm 90:12, ESV)

Reflection: How can you better align your daily schedule with God's priorities for your life? What is one change you can make today to trust in His timing?


Day 5: Step Towards Sanity
Believing in a power greater than ourselves, God, can restore us to sanity. This involves acknowledging our lost state and our need for transformation, setting our minds on God, and accepting reality as it is. By doing so, we open ourselves to His transformative power and begin to see ourselves, others, and our circumstances through His perspective. This step is essential for spiritual growth and leads to a more fulfilling and meaningful life. [10:55]

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:2, ESV)

Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to invite God's transformative power? How can you begin to see this area through His perspective today?

Quotes

and the idea whatever you might think about religion or faith or so on you could think about it this way all of us know that there is such a thing as good there is a Transcendent reality and there is a claim a moral claim on my life and often I disregard it because of my desires I want my will rather than wanting the good and that leads to feudal thinking and in particular to the belief or the thought that I am God and I will make things be the way that I want them to be. [00:02:30]

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference now insanity is the opposite of the Serenity Prayer the insanity prayer is uh I will accept things that I ought not to accept that I can actually change starting with me and my own life and starting with my mind our greatest freedom is what do I set my thoughts on my mind on and and a lot of us never even take a look at that. [00:03:23]

sanity at its root involves being convinced that any life run on self-will can hardly be a success are you convinced of that when we live on that basis while I'm trying to run the show remember seeing a movie years ago called The Truman Show and it's about this character Truman that I identified with at first this guy who's living in kind of a fake world and uh it's all scripted and then he gradually comes to see this and gains the courage to say I'm going to leave this world. [00:04:20]

everybody is like an actor trying to run the whole show forever trying to arrange the lights the ballet the scenery the rest of the players in his own way if only his Arrangements would stay put if only people would do the what I want them to do the show would be great everybody including me would be pleased life would be wonderful in trying to make these Arrangements our actor might sometimes be quite virtuous might be kind considerate patient generous even modest and self-sacrificing. [00:05:35]

selfishness that's the root of our problem the big book says and it leads to Insanity I'll give you one little example of insanity in my own life I will think generally because my ego is trying to run the show I have so many things I have to do I have so many demands laid on me I don't have enough time and then that will justify me very often in my life to be angry to be irritable to be ego-driven to be self-preoccupied somebody in my life needs a favor somebody needs a ride oh man that's going to be so difficult to do. [00:06:45]

the same God who invented you invented time God does not will that you do what God does not give you time to do or me either there is plenty of time God made this day 24 hours and and there's plenty of time for me to do today whatever God wants for me to do today so that way of thinking I don't have enough time it is insane it is feudal and it leads me down Paths of lovelessness towards other people and anxiety and frustration and discontent with myself. [00:07:52]

came to believe a power greater than ourselves that is God could restore us to sanity is we already started it in step one because step one was admitting I'm powerless over me over my biggest problems and and that's a step towards sanity so you have already started that now I want to point out how deeply those are woven in spiritual life whether or not you know you're in a recovery movement whatever you might think of all that this is from Dallas Willard book renovation of the heart. [00:08:40]

we must see the soul and the person in its ru rued condition with its malformed and dysfunctional mind just Insanity spiritual and moral Insanity feelings body and social relations before we can understand that it must be delivered and reformed and how that can be done one of the greatest obstacles to effective spiritual formation in Christ today is simple failure to understand and acknowledge the reality of the human situation as it affects Christians and non-christians alike. [00:09:25]

lost persons in Christian terms are precisely those who mistake their own person for God and we do that and then we don't do it we are lost and then we don't know that we are lost Dallas writes very commonly a driver will be lost before he even knows that he is lost although rarely before his wife knows that he is lost he wrote that back in the days before you know GPS and Siri but I'll defy even Siri if I and Adam convinced of my rightness so the place where we start today is the step of Hope. [00:10:05]

there is a God who loves me and who cares about me and he actually wants to transform my mind and it's possible for me to affirm that at least I can be willing to do that are you willing to believe in that kind of a God today and will you come to him will you come to that Jesus say here is my mind God would you bring my mind back before uh back into your presence and help me to think about you through this day would you help me to know uh I have all the time that I need to do whatever it is that you're asking me to do. [00:10:52]

I'm going to let go of trying to direct my story God today I I will accept life reality as it is I will accept who I am my genes my body my age I will accept that I will accept other people I will seek with your help God for there to be changed in my orientation in the way that I think about things and the way that I view things I'll try try to view them together with you right there alongside me at my right hand that's the invitation today and if you're ready to do that if you are willing to believe that God can restore you to sanity. [00:11:37]

place yourself in his hands and continue on with the the rest of the steps if you're willing to believe that just say yes right now and then you have done this Second Step but don't stop there keep coming back it works if you work it hey you just finished a video from our series steps which is based on John's new book releasing February 4th by the same name steps so if you're catching this video before February 4th you might want to pre-order the book you can do that at our website becom new.com. [00:12:20]

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Transcript
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