Nicolene Du Plessis

Who is in control?

When life feels chaotic, our instinct is often to take control.

We strive harder.
We worry more.
We analyse every detail.
We try to hold everything together ourselves.

But God’s word speaks directly into the middle of our panic:

“Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” (Psalm 46:10 NLT)

The Hebrew word translated “be still” means to let go, release, loosen your grip, and cease striving.

So what does a lack of trust often look like?

• Working relentlessly with no rest because everything depends on you.

• Neglecting friends and family because there is always one more problem to solve.

• Neglecting your spiritual growth because you are too busy managing life to sit with God.

• Over-analysing every detail and every possible outcome in an attempt to create certainty.

• Struggling to be present with the people around you because your mind is consumed with trying to control what might happen next.

• Carrying burdens that God never asked you to carry.

At first glance these things can appear responsible, diligent, or even sacrificial.

But often they reveal a deeper belief:

“If I don’t hold everything together, everything will fall apart.”

Trust says:

“God is God. I am not.”

The nations may rage. Circumstances may shake. The future may feel uncertain.

But God remains on His throne.

Today, ask yourself:

What am I trying to control that God is asking me to release?

Because sometimes the only way to know that He is God…

is to stop trying to be.

STANDBY — THE LIGHT IN THE TUNNEL

📖 John 16:7 (AMP)

There’s a well-known phrase:
👉 “the light at the end of the tunnel.”

Many people live constantly trying to reach the “light”:

* the breakthrough
* the answered prayer
* the healed relationship
* the financial relief
* the end of grief
* the preferred outcome

But sometimes we focus so much on getting out of the tunnel that we miss the Presence of God within the tunnel.

Jesus described the Holy Spirit as our Helper.

The Amplified Bible expands the word parakletos into:

* Comforter
* Counselor
* Helper
* Advocate
* Intercessor
* Strengthener
* Standby

The word literally means:
👉 “one called alongside to help.”

The Holy Spirit is not distant from our pain.
He stands beside us in it.

Standby does not mean passive.
It means:

* always present
* always available
* always near
* always ready to help

Even when circumstances scream:
“You are alone…”

He stands by.

The Holy Spirit is also like the sole of a shoe.

Without a sole, every sharp stone and rough surface is felt. Walking becomes exhausting because there is nothing beneath you to support or protect you.

In the same way, life without the Holy Spirit leaves us exposed to fear, pressure, and burden.

But His presence in the tunnel brings peace and joy.
He carries us through what would otherwise crush us.

Maybe the goal is not only reaching the light at the end of the tunnel…
but learning to recognise the presence of God within it.

No matter the battle- He is able to do more.

There is something in us that often wants security faster than surrender.

The temptation usually starts with a whisper:
👉 “God isn’t moving fast enough… maybe I need to help Him out.”

That pressure can lead us into:
- shortcuts
- compromise
- dishonest gain
- fear-driven decisions
- self-preservation

In Joshua 7, Achan secretly took silver, gold, and a Babylonian robe from Jericho after God instructed Israel not to touch what belonged to Him.

What seemed hidden and harmless eventually affected an entire nation.

📖 “I saw… I coveted… I took… I hid.” — Joshua 7:21

Fear and greed often push people to build security outside of trust in God.

But Scripture reminds us:

📖 1 Corinthians 3:12–13
Some build with gold and silver. Others build with wood, hay, and straw. Fire reveals the foundation.

Not everything that looks successful is built to last.

👑 Kingdom principles:
- integrity over shortcuts
- surrender over control
- obedience over compromise
- faith over fear
- stewardship over selfish gain
- eternal fruit over temporary success

Sometimes we also try rebuilding things God already dealt with:
- old patterns
- unhealthy relationships
- fleshly coping systems
- compromised structures

But Kingdom living is about building what God is building.

👑 What we build outside of God may look strong for a season—but only what is built with Him will endure.

Discipleship Integrity TrustGod KingdomCulture Jesus

Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.”
— Psalm 37:3 ESV

The phrase “befriend faithfulness” is powerful because it reminds me that faithfulness is not something we manufacture on our own — it flows from trusting Jesus.

The more we trust His faithfulness, the more faithfulness is formed within us.

I’m learning that vision carried with Jesus can be carried for longer.
When vision is built on pressure, striving, or performance, it eventually becomes heavy. But when vision is carried in trust with Jesus, faithfulness gives us the strength to endure.

Faithfulness is what keeps us steady when excitement fades.
It keeps us grounded when growth is slow.
It keeps us obedient when no one is watching.

Faithfulness is rarely formed in dramatic moments.

More often, it is built quietly in the daily decisions:• to trust God when we cannot see• to obey when it feels inconvenient• to keep showing up when progress feels slow• to remain trustworthy in both pressure and success• to keep praying, serving, and doing the little things well

Great vision is often sustained by ordinary obedience.

You want to go far? Go together.
Go with Jesus.
Walk with Him daily.
Trust Him in the process.

Because lasting fruit is rarely built through shortcuts — it is built through consistent obedience over time.

Over time, what once felt difficult becomes devotion.

And the small acts of faithfulness we repeat daily eventually shape the person we become.