Christian Aspects of Locus of Control
One
of the goals of counselling is to facilitate the journey to freedom and
shifting the locus of control from external to internal.
internal LOCUS of CONTROL external
SPECTRUM
External control
The
position where we are governed by the clamouring voices which may be literally
external or "external" voices that are internal i.e. voices that are
inside our head. Literal external
voices may be parents, spouse, children, relatives, friends, teachers, pastors,
members of the congregation (to pastors) etc.
Some of these voices may also be inside our head long after these people
have ceased to exist or moved away and may be part of the Critical Parent ego
state.
Where
locus of control is completely external (down one end of the spectrum), we are
not free to choose. At this position we
respond to needs because we have to, and the only way of not responding is to
distance ourselves in some way e.g. withdrawal, depression, getting sick,
overdosing, suicide, and possibly criminal behaviour e.g.shoplifting.
Down
this end of the spectrum, we often perceive God to also be controlling. This can be aggravated by rigid church
structures in which church elders are perceived as being controlling and when
the message of the church majors on aspects of fear.
Internal control
This
is when we are not bound by the voices but are free to choose. We are free to look at the options and
consequences of our actions, being able to see the situation as it really
is. It implies a healthy degree of
awareness of self and of all that is going on, and freedom of choice cannot be
exercised without awareness. This
position implies integration of various aspects of the personality and ego
states, autonomy and possibly "self-actualisation" whatever that
means.
In
this position we are free; free to love
and free to hate; free to love and
serve God and free to reject God consciously (at the other end of the scale
perhaps the person is more likely to reject God at a more primitive and
subconscious level). We are free to
reach out in love and meet people at their point of need, but also free to say
no when that is important for the other's growth. We are also free to take our place in society as autonomous and
responsible individuals with responsibility to community and society. We are also free to be selfish, to exert control over other people and
become part of their external source of control and forcing their locus to the
external end of the spectrum.
In
our relationship to God, we are free to submit to God but also free to reject
Him and ultimately say "I am my
own god."
Control might then be seen to be
perhaps the root evil.
In rejecting God we might say "I am in control of my own life and
no one else is going to be, including God." In relationship to the world, the evil person seeking power
(through money, sex, property, arms) also seeks to control others.
Having
our locus of control as being internal is not intrinsically evil. It simply allows choice.
For
the Christian, counselling aims to facilitate the move to freedom and also to
encourage and facilitate the voluntary surrender of that freedom to God.
This
brings us back to the "old fashioned" gospel message: God's way is
for us to lose ourselves, to become voluntary bondslaves and to walk the way of
sacrifice along the Calvary Road carrying our cross. This is to be the path for all Christian people and results in us
being conformed to the image of Jesus Christ.
It is a path of humility and contriteness. God will take us along the path to Christ-likeness whether we
like it or not, but it would be so much better to do this from a point of
willingness and love rather than being made to, the latter being much more
painful.
It
means submitting our will to God when it is most difficult; surrendering what
we most desire even when it hurts;
losing ourselves for His sake and the gospel; seeking first the Kingdom
of God; submitting our new-found sense
of control to God; to give up our new
freedom voluntarily; to submit our new
sense of self esteem (in His image) to God in humility and contriteness; as we "find ourselves" anew, to
"lose ourselves" for the sake of the Kingdom; and as we develop new
skills (by his grace) to rely even more on the guidance and wisdom given by the
Holy Spirit; and instead of saying
"I am the captain of my soul" to say " God is the captain of my
soul".
The
amazing paradox of this total submission of our control to God is that he gives
more back! More self control, more
freedom, more self-esteem (in His image), more "finding of ourselves"
and more skills and wisdom.
But
it is a walk and a way in which we must always be on guard, lest in thinking we
stand, we fall. Beware of the devil as
a roaring lion waiting to devour.
Beware of the thought, as God continues to give us control, of being
able to "do it ourselves".
May we all be totally aware of the risks involved and therefore even
more totally dependent on God, recognising our own weakness and innate
sinfulness and that we will not be delivered from having divided hearts until
we are with Him. This is my prayer for
myself and for all who read this. Amen.
Lachlan
Dunjey
April
1995