The Illusion of Control / 对自己控制能力的错觉
Dexu Xia
The Illusion of Control
You do not even know what will happen tomorrow. James 4:14
Ellen Langer’s 1975 study titled The Illusion of Control examined the level of influence we exert over life’s events. She found that we overestimate our degree of control in most situations. The study also demonstrated how reality nearly always shatters our illusion.
Langer’s conclusions are supported by experiments carried out by others since the study was published. However, James identified the phenomenon long before she named it. In James 4, he wrote, “Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (vv. 13–14).
Then James provides a cure for the delusion, pointing to the One who’s in absolute control: “Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that’” (v. 15). In these few verses, James summarized both a key failing of the human condition and its antidote.
May we understand that our fate doesn’t rest in our own hands. Because God holds all things in His capable hands, we can trust His plans!
Reflect & Pray
In what ways have you given in to the illusion that you’re in control of your fate? How can you turn over your plans to God and leave your future in His hands?
Heavenly Father, I place all of my life in Your loving hands. Thank You for Your good plans for me.
对自己控制能力的错觉
其实明天如何，你们还不知道。-雅各书4章14节
在1975年，哈佛大学心理学教授艾伦·兰格（Ellen Langer）发表一篇研究报告，标题为《控制错觉》，检视了我们对生活中各种事件的影响程度。她发现在许多情况下，我们都高估了自己对事情的掌控能力。这项研究也证明了，我们自以为能掌控事情，这种错觉总是会被现实粉粹。
自从兰格发表这份研究结果之后，其他人所执行的实验也支持她的论点。然而早在兰格发表这个研究报告之前，雅各就已经指出这个问题。他在雅各书4章写道：“嗐！你们有话说：‘今天、明天我们要往某城里去，在那里住一年，做买卖得利。’其实明天如何，你们还不知道。你们的生命是什么呢？你们原来是一片云雾，出现少时就不见了。”（13-14节）
接着，雅各提供了一个治疗这种错觉的方法，指出唯有上帝才能掌控万事。他说：“你们只当说：‘主若愿意，我们就可以活着，也可以做这事，或做那事’”（15节）。在这几节经文中，雅各指出了人类的软弱，也提供了解决之道。
盼望我们都能明白，你我的人生并非在自己的掌控之中。上帝将万事万物都掌握在祂大能的手里，我们只管全然信靠祂的计划！
曾几何时，你认为可以掌握自己的人生呢？
如何将自己的计划交在上帝手中，
全然信靠祂的带领呢？
人心多有计谋，惟有耶和华的筹算，才能立定。–箴言19章21节