Morning Control

by Adam Kronberger / Superintendent

I have to confess, I am a morning person. Sometimes I can’t wait to go to bed just so I can get to my morning time quicker. I love getting up while it is still dark and usher in the new day. My mind is at its sharpest before the clutter of the day and fatigue of decision-making takes over. My morning routine includes a hot homemade latte, a warm fireplace, my favorite chair, and a basket with my Bible, favorite devotionals, and journals. To top it all off, I can look up across the room at any time and gaze at my beautiful bride doing the same thing (she kindly gives me the seat next to the fireplace).  
Perhaps my favorite and most productive time of my entire morning is when I wrestle with God in my journal. Writing out my thoughts and prayers requires me to slow down and really process what I am thinking and feeling. It also provides God space to speak into my heart and mind. A few mornings ago I was declaring on paper my desire to give up complete control of all areas of my life to God. But even as I was writing it down, I knew I didn’t mean it completely. So I said as much. “God, I want you in control of my life. You are much better at it than me. But I sure love being in control and it is difficult to give that up.”  

Why do we always want to be in charge? Is it because we can make sure we get what we want? Is it because we are too proud and want to prove we can do things on our own? This human struggle is not new. In an often quoted passage in Joshua 24, Joshua asks the Israelites to “choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve.” Joshua then declared that “as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” Jesus himself also taught that nobody can serve two masters; you will hate the one and love the other.  

As I wrestled with God that morning about who should be in control, God in his infinite wisdom spoke a truth to me that changed everything. He said, “Adam, you can have control of giving control over to me.” Seriously? So simple, yet so profound. That struck me like a lightening bolt. It connected with me on all levels. God has given me a free-will to choose on my own. I have the power, so to speak.  And I choose Him! I choose Him to be in control. To some that might sound like surrender, which it certainly is. To me, it sounds like an adventure, as I battle daily to give complete control to God. In fact, there has been so much peace since that conversation with God. As long as God allows me to choose which flavor of latte I have in the morning.  

​
– Adam Kronberger / Superintendent