Control, Change, and the Kingdom of God

Control, Change, and the Kingdom of God

There’s a quote I read on social media today:

“People don’t want change; they want control.”

It’s true, isn’t it? We often say that people don’t like change, but perhaps the reality is that people want to feel in control of their situation and circumstances. Change, by its very nature, disrupts that control.

I see this in Homelessness Services every day. Many people who come through our doors have experienced deep trauma, instability, and Adverse Childhood Experiences. Their behaviours—sometimes seen as disruptive or challenging—are often about survival, about trying to assert some sense of control in a world where they’ve had very little say over what happens to them.

When you’ve lived through systems that have failed you, when people have made decisions about your life without your voice being heard, when you’ve been let down time and time again, it makes sense that you’d want to hold on to control in whatever way you can. Sometimes that control looks like resisting help. Sometimes it looks like fighting against change. And sometimes it looks like pushing people away before they can hurt you.

And it’s not just in homelessness services; we see this in the Church too. Many don’t resist change just for the sake of it—they value tradition, history, and doctrine. And rightly so. Holding firm to truth is important. But sometimes, our desire for stability becomes a fear of change.

Change feels risky. It means letting go of control, stepping into the unknown, and trusting that God is leading us somewhere good, even if we don’t have all the details mapped out.

The Upside-Down Kingdom

But the Kingdom of God doesn’t work like the world does.

In the Kingdom, Jesus flips the tables. He doesn’t grasp for power and control—He lays it down. He chooses the path of suffering, of surrender, of the cross. But thank God, the cross wasn’t the end of the story! He conquered death, He rose again, and He points to a new way of living—one that invites us to let go.

When Jesus called His disciples, they didn’t sit down to negotiate terms. They didn’t ask for a ten-year strategic plan. They left their nets and followed Him.

Immediately. At once. No guarantees. No control. Just trust.

Letting Go

And so, the question comes to each of us:

• What do you need to give up? What’s the thing you’re gripping onto for control, afraid that if you let go, things might fall apart?

• What change is required in your life? Where is God calling you to step out, to trust, to follow Him into something new?

Because following Jesus isn’t about comfort. It’s not about control. It’s about surrender.

And when we let go, we find that He was holding us all along.