Out of Control — And Right Where God Can Work
Leadership often gives us the illusion of control. We build plans, anticipate challenges, and create predictable systems so that even the hardest moments feel manageable. But every so often, life places us in a situation where all of that falls away—where circumstances are no longer in our hands, and we find ourselves at the mercy of decisions, timelines, and forces we didn’t choose.
It’s not a fun place to be.
And yet, looking back over the past 30 years, I’ve realized something surprising: these “out of control” moments are not unprecedented at all.
I’ve lived through them before.
The slow economy of the 90s.
The financial meltdown of the 2000s.
The global shutdown of 2020.
And each time—without exception—those seasons became the chapters of the most spiritual growth, the deepest faith, and the clearest experience of God working when I couldn’t.
Reframing the Narrative of “These Times”
It’s easy to look at challenging seasons and see only disruption and loss of control. But what if the narrative is wrong? What if these moments are simply opportunities—open doors to trust God in ways we wouldn’t choose, but desperately need?
When we see difficult seasons with new eyes, they become catalysts for:
New vision
New processes
New spiritual strength
1 Peter 5:7 reminds us to “cast all your cares on Him, because He cares for you.”
And Jesus’ words in Matthew 11 invite us to take His yoke—to trade our exhaustion for His rest, our striving for His strength.
This isn’t passive surrender; it’s active release. It’s a discipline.
Learning to Release Control
Even Jesus modeled this. He withdrew to pray. He surrendered His will to the Father.
And in His moment of deepest weakness, Scripture says He was strengthened by an angel.
If the Son of God embraced dependence, why do we as business leaders expect ourselves to do everything alone?
Maybe the hardest discipline in leadership is simply to wait.
To be still.
To refuse to force what God is asking us to release.
“Be still and know that I am God.”
“Wait on the Lord and He will renew your strength.”
These aren’t just verses—they’re operating principles for spiritually grounded leadership.
You Don’t Have to Do This Alone
Another misconception many leaders carry is that asking for prayer is a sign of weakness. But Scripture says the opposite.
James 5 calls us to pray for one another so that we may be healed.
The healing isn’t just physical—it’s emotional, spiritual, mental, and yes, even leadership-related.
Don’t be too proud to ask others to pray with you.
And don’t hesitate to pray for others.
There is power and breakthrough in prayer that no strategy, system, or leadership framework can replicate.
When You Feel Out of Control…
Maybe the point isn’t to regain control.
Maybe the point is to recognize that you were never meant to carry it alone.
When control slips from our hands, we finally see what has always been true:
God is steady.
God is present.
God is at work even when we can’t see the plan.
And in those moments—hard as they feel—He grows us, reshapes us, and prepares us for what’s next.