The Myth of “God is in Control” That’s shipwrecking Your Faith and what it really means!

GOD IS IN CONTROL, but how?

Is God really behind every move you make? This short article will dive into Scripture and shatter the illusion and unveil a sovereignty you’ll wish you’d known sooner.

The notion that “God is in control” meaning He’s some cosmic puppeteer pulling every string of human thought and action is unscriptural. That idea is a theological shipwreck, and we’re going to sink it with Scripture and logic. (Isa 1:18)

First off, the misunderstanding assumes God micromanages every detail—every fleeting thought, every stubbed toe, every word spoken. It’s as if He’s sitting on a throne with a joystick, forcing people to act like robots. One fellow told me, “I’m thankful to God that there’s no free will.” Who made him say that; is God thanking himself? LoL.

That’s not sovereignty; that’s slavery. The Bible paints a vastly different picture of God’s control. He’s the supreme authority with infinite options, unstoppable in His purpose, yet He doesn’t trample human freedom.

Take Esther 4:14. Mordecai tells Esther, “If you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish.”

Notice the implication: God’s plan to save His people will happen—with or without Esther. He’s not dependent on her choice, but He invites her to participate. If she opts out, He’s got a backup plan. That’s not manipulation; that’s a God with a myriad of ways to achieve His will. He’s not sweating bullets hoping Esther complies—He’s in control because nothing can thwart Him, not because He’s forcing her hand. It shows God’s providential ability not manipulation free will.

Then there’s Luke 3:8, where John the Baptist tells the Pharisees, “God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.” Think about that. God doesn’t need the Pharisees’ cooperation to fulfill His promise to Abraham. He could turn rocks into covenant heirs if He wanted. (Remember that He made a man originally from dust Gen 2:7). This is not hyperbole, God can do it! His control isn’t about puppeteering people; it’s about His limitless power, infinite wisdom and options. The Pharisees could repent or not—free will intact—but God’s plan marches on.

Now, Romans 8:28-39 is the knockout punch. “We know that for those who love God all things work together for good.” Does that mean God orchestrates every sin, every tragedy, every dumb decision? No! It means He’s so sovereign that He can take the mess we make—our free choices, good or bad—and weave it into His redemptive tapestry. Verses 38-39 list every possible obstacle: death, life, angels, rulers, powers, height, depth, anything in creation. None can stop Him. That’s control; not meticulous domination, but unconquerable ability to save. No faithful Saint will be accidentally lost, and no person will be saved against their will.

The Old Testament backs this up. Genesis 12:3 says God will bless all nations through Abraham’s offspring. Fast forward to Galatians 3:13-16, and Paul clarifies this points to Christ. God’s plan was to bring the Messiah and reveal sin and His nature (the Law showing us our need for grace). Did He force Pharaoh to harden his heart? No—Exodus says Pharaoh hardened it first, and God used that rebellion to display His power. Did He make Judas betray Jesus? No—Judas chose greed (John 12:6), and God turned it into the pivot of salvation. The OT isn’t a script God forced on people; it’s a story of Him working through their free actions to unveil Christ.

The New Testament shifts focus: it’s about spreading the gospel until Christ returns. 2 Peter 3:9 says God is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” If He controlled every thought, why the delay? Why the plea for repentance? Because He’s patient, letting humans choose while His plan—salvation through faith—remains fixed (2 Peter 3:15). Predestination isn’t about God picking who sins or believes; it’s about His unshakeable decision to save through the gospel of Christ. Ephesians 1:3-5 ties it to salvation through obedience to the Gospel (Gal 3:13-27).

Think about it; if God controls every action, free will is a sham, and so is accountability. Why judge sin if God made us do it, or won’t allow us to repent?! That’s nonsense and makes God out to be a monster not a loving savior. Is it any wonder why people reject the gospel after hearing this?

Deuteronomy 30:19 says, “I have set before you life and death… choose life.” Choice is real. God’s control isn’t a straitjacket—it’s His ability to say, “My will stands, no matter what you do.” Think of Joseph’s brothers selling him into slavery (Genesis 50:20): they meant evil, but God meant it for good. He didn’t make them hate Joseph; He used their free will as a step toward His promises.

The “God as micromanager” view is sad because it shrinks Him into a control freak who needs to fiddle with every detail. Tragically, people are being hurt by this error and think it’s God who’s causing their pain for some divine purpose. Not so!

The Bible shows a God so vast, so ingenious, that He doesn’t need to manipulate. He’s got a million roads to His destination, and none of us can block the way. That’s sovereignty worth worshipping—not a petty tyrant, but a King who reigns supreme over chaos without breaking a sweat. Anything less is a caricature, not the God of Scripture.

God does have a plan for you, it’s to trust and obey Him. “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” (2Tim 4:7-8)

“For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.” (1John 5:3)

God Does Have a PLAN for You…

God’s plan isn’t a cold, cosmic checklist or a tangled web of fate pulling you along. It’s a heartfelt invitation, a steady hand reaching out and guiding you with His word through life’s messiness toward something real and lasting.

• PURPOSE: It starts with a tug at your soul—to obey the Gospel, to lean into the quiet rhythms of life and godliness that God’s laid out for us all in His word (2 Pet 3:9; 1:3-10; Gal 6:7; Ecc 12:13). He’s not dangling a secret script; He’s offering a path lit by His love and truth revealed in scripture.
• LOVE: Then there’s this ache to love one another, a call that echoes deep within (1 John 4:7; John 14:15). It’s not forced—it’s the warm pulse of obedience, a choice to reflect the One who first loved us.
• ABOUND: He stirs you to grow, to stretch beyond where you stand today being equipped by His word (2 Pet 3:18; Heb 5:12; 2 Cor 8; Matt 25:15-30; 2 Tim 3:15-17). There’s a quiet thrill in using what He’s given you—your gifts, your grit—to bloom where you’re planted.
• NEVER GIVE UP: And through it all, there’s His constant urging: Never quit. Never give up. Never let go of the hope that’s yours (Heb 2:3; Rev 2:10). It’s a fight worth fighting, a race worth running, because what’s waiting at the end is too precious to abandon.

This isn’t about God puppeteering your every step. It’s His tender, unshakable call to live with purpose, to rise up, and to hold fast—because you’re worth it to Him.

Share this with your neighbors who are being tortured by this false teaching.

“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32 KJV

Spencer