It’s All in the Controller

I was alone in my man-cave, controller in hand, playing Halo 5: Guardians when it dawned on me that I am far from the good gamer that I used to be. In fact, I think my ability to play has atrophied in a huge way over the last few years. I have a friend, however, who is amazing when it comes to playing games. If I get into a shooter game with him, our team is certain to win. He’s the guy who’s typically on the top of the leaderboard for “kills.”

We are both men, around the same age, playing the same game with the same controller. So what’s the difference? It’s who is behind the controller. The “controller of the controller,” if you will.

When we are going through circumstances in our lives, even ones that are similar to someone else’s we may know of, the end results are often different. Baffled, we ask ourselves: “Why do I struggle with pornography but so-and-so doesn’t?” “Why do I keep getting passed over for promotion?” And so on.

Firstly, everyone’s walk with Christ is different, and what is good for one individual isn’t always good for everyone. The Bible also tells us that the rain of God falls on the just and the unjust alike. Everyone benefits in life regardless of where they stand in the eyes of the Lord. It’s their eternity that is different.

Secondly, the fact that my friend is better at a game doesn’t diminish my value. He may be someone who has a natural skill for gaming, and I may have to work harder at matching his abilities. People practice their skills all the time to hone them. My value isn’t hinged on my ability or non-ability to succeed in a certain area.

Finally, sometimes it just boils down to who is on your side. As I stated, when my friend was playing with me, we were always winning, even if it had nothing to do with how well I was doing. With Jesus on our side, it’s like being on the MVP’s team. No matter how good or bad I am at said game (or life) Jesus Christ always wins, and I’m always on His team.

Sometimes, I just need to step back from whatever game I’m playing, hand Jesus the controller, and let Him take care of my shortcomings.