The Game of Life

Have you ever played chess? I tend to like games of strategy. I like to plan my moves and arrange and organize my pieces on the board to set my traps. I don’t mean to give anything away, but I suppose I take more of a defensive approach and let the opponent come to me. My video game loving husband calls this “camping”, something I have gathered is comparative to cheating. Since he is usually the opponent anyway, I disagree and say that is how you are supposed to play chess.

I like chess because I like planning and having everything in order. I like organizing and knowing where everything is and what is to come. I like the comfort of sitting back and seeing everything fall into place as it should.

But even in chess, there are times that risky moves must be made. There are times when you must step out and play the offense, never knowing what traps the opponent could have laid for you. I don’t usually make these types of moves, but when I do, they aren’t often successful.

Playing Life

This all goes the same for me in the real world. I feel like I can get along life much safer when I am in control. Unlike a game with my husband, here is where I am wrong. This is not how you are supposed to play life.

In life, you are supposed to let go, and let God be in control. The only time you are to sit back is when you are waiting to hear from Him.

When I got sick, I had no choice but to let go. I had no choice but to make moves I wasn’t comfortable making. I had to loosen my grip on decisions that I once stood firm in. My plans in life, my strategies, everything I had mapped out was all washed away. The chess board was flipped, and everything was wiped clean.

I had to start fresh, and I had two options. I could either go back to planning my life out the way I had before, or I could decide to finally let God do what He wanted to do in my life.

The more I tried to control, the more I prolonged my healing. I then tried to compromise and became the backseat driver to God’s plan. This didn’t work either. God wanted me to completely let go.

Make Yourself Vulnerable

It feels impossible to quit doing something that you’ve trained yourself to do for years. There can be layers and layers to peel off, and sometimes you just don’t want to feel vulnerable by taking everything off. This is where trust comes in.

When you peel off stubbornness, allow God to replace it with humility. When you peel off depression, allow God to clothe you in His joy. Trust that every layer of doubt, worry, and sin you have on will be replaced by everything God wants to offer you. If you have no desire to be clothed in fear and anxiety, remove them from your life! Allow God to replenish you with bravery and boldness.  

When it comes to labels, I was always an “introvert”. I assumed I was born and raised shy and reserved and accepted that to be my lifelong personality. And while a man of few words is considered wise, I know God wants that chain of insecurity broken in me. God wants me to glorify Him through my words, and I could never do that as an “introvert”.

It takes making moves that you never planned on making. It takes stepping away from the defense and joining the offense. Jesus said go out! Go preach the gospel!

How many times did God tell people to leave the place they were in? How many times did God have people doing things well out of their comfort zones?

If we are willing to trust Him but still in doubt of whether or not our moves are of God, ask Him for wisdom. He will give it freely. We are not on this earth to satisfy our own petty plans and desires. Where we will live or work or any of those fine details won’t mean anything when we are gone. What will matter is if we fulfilled His plan for us while we were here. He has fantastic things in store for us, if we will just submit to His plan.