Sharon Hodde Miller does a great job of explaining how little real control we have over much of our lives in her book, The Cost of Control. We can’t control the weather, the financial climate, our health or other people’s decisions. In the first part of the book, Miller explains why we crave control. Next Miller describes six tactics we use to try to gain a sense of control. These become the titles of the chapters in the next section: Knowledge and Information, Power, Money, Autonomy, Theology and Shame. Mostly Miller points this out using illustrations and by stating the obvious. Yet many of us still try to control our circumstances or act in ways that convey the impression we have control even though we don’t.
In the next part of the book, Miller explains the cost of trying to control people and situations – broken relationships, burnout, anxiety etc. It’s a relief to get to the last section on the real power God promises. However, this power is in learning to trust God so it’s not a quick or easy solution.
Realising how little control we have over most things can potentially make us feel anxious and I did feel somewhat anxious as I read. Yet the remedy isn’t to try and gain control but rather to look to God and choose to put our trust in him.
An instructive, helpful and challenging book.
More reviews of this book can be found on Goodreads and for more of my book reviews click here.
