{"id":8345,"date":"2024-02-29T09:00:29","date_gmt":"2024-02-29T15:00:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/freshhope.us\/crisis-control\/"},"modified":"2026-02-02T13:02:47","modified_gmt":"2026-02-02T18:02:47","slug":"crisis-control","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/freshhope.us\/es\/crisis-control\/","title":{"rendered":"Crisis. Control."},"content":{"rendered":"

By Scott Box<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\r\n
\"\\"\\"\"<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\r\n

Crisis.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

I didn\u2019t see the movie\u00a0Fight Club<\/em>\u00a0when\u00a020th Century Fox<\/em>\u00a0released it in 1999. It was simply an issue of having been released into theaters the same year my wife, Kariann, and I were married\u2014We were too poor to go to the theater. I admit that I begged Kariann to make an exception for\u00a0Star Wars: The Phantom Menace<\/em>\u2014and grrrrrr, I was disappointed in the movie. Anyway, I tried to watch\u00a0Fight Club<\/em>\u00a0years later, but I didn\u2019t have the stomach to get very far. But I do remember a scene in the movie where one of the main characters, Tyler Durden, the proprietor of the fight club in the movie, gets beat up by an Italian property owner\/mob boss. This mob boss, Lou, is trying to get Durden\u2019s fight club squatting in the basement of his building to move out. So Lou swaggers down into the dingy basement with a couple of bodyguards and proceeds to beat Durden\u2019s face to a gross bloody pulp. Durden\u2019s fight club members stand on the shadowy fringes of the basement in confused tension. Only the joke is on Lou. It turns out that Durden is sadistic and likes getting his face kicked in, literally because, you know, he runs the fight club, after all. In a blink, the tables turn as Durden jumps up and tackles Lou to the ground. Then, in a wild scramble on the concrete, Durden proceeds to pin Lou down, laugh hysterically and violently spit and spray blood in Lou\u2019s face while growling, \u201cPlease let us keep it, Lou.\u201d It becomes evident that Durden never intended to leave Lou\u2019s basement. And he was willing to go to absurd lengths to prove his stubbornness. As you might expect, Lou reacts with complete repulsion, but he can\u2019t escape Durden\u2019s grasp. In absolute horror over the complete mess he\u2019s found himself in, Lou yields instantly to Durden\u2019s overwhelming physical and mental pressure, concedes the basement to the fight club, is pulled to his feet by a bodyguard and scurries on all fours up the stairs to safety and sanity.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The movie scene is incredibly visceral. I was shocked at how Durden upended Lou\u2019s supposed hierarchy and power. Most of all, it made me think of when I believed I was in control, only to realize I was out of control of infinite variables, basically every moment of every day.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

This scene in\u00a0Fight Club<\/em>\u00a0perfectly expresses and explains the dynamic relationship between crisis and control in my life and yours. In many ways, this scene serves as a perfect representation of what has happened, in one way or another, to every human who has ever lived. We are or have been any one of the characters in this scene. We have been Lou, a man who thinks he is in control, only to find out he is very much in crisis. We have been Tyler Durden, seemingly in crisis and enduring great pain but strategically controlling the situation. Or we have been the observers standing in utter amazement at the complete train wreck we are witnessing. Many other variations exist as well. But almost everything in life comes down to crisis and control.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Control.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

I want to tell you about something I call \u201cCrisis. Control.\u201d I explain it like this: the crisis in my life was an invitation for me to admit, in my current condition, that my life was a crisis that required Jesus\u2019 control, His kingship of my story. After all, He had offered all His life, even the crises, to God the Father, the Great Storyteller\u2019s control. Watching how Jesus lived taught me a powerful truth that frames how I approach crises in my life:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Crisis is vital because it forces the question, \u201cWho is in control?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

This statement is the cornerstone for the tool I call call \u201cCrisis. Control.\u201d To be clear, I call it \u201cCrisis. Control.\u201d because, in my experience, \u201cthe crisis\u00a0is<\/strong>\u00a0for control.\u201d\u2014It has taken forty-seven years of life for that truth to sink in. Sigh.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

After Kariann and I were married, our first seven and a half years were an exercise of complete humility. I faced a crisis\u2014a brutal slide into an illness of mind, body and spirit that made me question the very purpose and meaning of my existence. My mental descent into bipolar desperation started subtly. Eventually, it increased in intensity as mounting stress pushed me into territory where I was eagerly willing to compromise previous boundaries I had set for things like alcohol or spiritual purity of heart and mind. Every aspect of my life was affected. I wanted to turn off the pain\u2014so I tried. Boundaries I had previously been unwilling to cross with things like my diet, my exercise, my thought life, and my entertainment choices all became new targets for excess and abuse. I thought I was in control. But the abuses of my freedom caused me to become mastered by my appetites, cravings, and lusts. I was in crisis. My \u201ccontrol\u201d was leading me into vice, not virtue. No matter the difficulty I was facing, the core crisis was that I was always seeking to be in control, to be a god\u2014Like Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Like them, I didn\u2019t want to have to trust the one and only God. I wanted to be the god who was in control. At times, I still do.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

There have been times of haunting stupidity when I have played the role of Lou, Tyler Durden or the dumbfounded spectators in\u00a0Fight Club<\/em>. I have also been the bodyguard who has rescued friends from their messes. But my story has become a story of crisis controlled by a loving and incomprehensibly powerful Savior.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Specifically, I have been able to experience God\u2019s restful control by rhythmically telling my story during the regular crises of life. And goodness, I don\u2019t invite people into the messy adventure to stroke my ego. I do it because inviting people into my story helps encourage others while reminding me of Who is in control\u2014the Great Hero, Jesus Christ. And I must constantly be reminded that Jesus controls everything\u2014even the painful crises. Jesus\u2019 heroic story of crisis has made my gritty story heroic in a way I don\u2019t deserve or expect:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.\u2014Matthew 5:3-4 NLT<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

It was to people who were in dire crisis Jesus brought the message of His Kingdom for the first time. Two thousand years removed, and I am one of those people Jesus\u2019 message continues to reach\u2014I need Jesus. With few exceptions, significant life change only happens when people live through a crisis and find themselves in desperation. Desperate people, those in crisis\u2014as opposed to those in comfort or \u201cin control\u201d\u2014are far more likely to surrender themselves to drastic and lifelong transformation. So when desperate people release control and offer it to Jesus\u2014they repent. And when they repent, they experience a new King and His new kingdom\u2014\u201cCrisis. Control.\u201d is the nit and the grit of Jesus\u2019 Gospel and His kingdom.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Jesus\u2019 message was:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Now after John was taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, \u201cThe time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent and believe in the gospel.\u2014Mark 1:14-15 NASB2020<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

I had become so desperate that I was willing to turn from my \u201ccontrol\u201d and follow Jesus\u2019 example and His solution for the physical, mental and spiritual sickness that was affecting me. I trusted and followed His specific answer, \u201crepent and believe.\u201d I gave Jesus control of my \u201cfight club\u201d\u2014I gave Him control of the uncontrollable. Jesus hasn\u2019t healed me, but I have experienced seventeen years of health. Yes, crisis surrounded me, but peace, joy, love, patience, and discipline invaded my heart\u2014my spirit was given new life by the Spirit of God.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Like what happened between the fictional crazy man, Tyler Durden, and mob boss, Lou, from the movie\u00a0Fight Club,<\/em>\u00a0giving Jesus control of the crisis upended my sense of hierarchy and power and gave me new life, exceptional hope and a gritty, heroic story to tell about Jesus Christ, the Great Hero.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

So, yeah, Jesus invites you (and me) to actively engage in His form of \u201cCrisis. Control.\u201d by doing two things every day:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

    \r\n
  1. In your current condition, admit that all your life is a crisis that requires Jesus\u2019 control, His kingship of your entire story.\u00a0<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
  2. Begin to host people in your ongoing messy and gritty story that tells a heroic story about Jesus (Matthew 28:18-20)\u2014Welcome others into your story at every opportunity.\u00a0<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

    Jesus\u2019 \u201cCrisis. Control.\u201d changes the world one story at a time. Your story is next.\u00a0<\/p>\r\nScott and Kariann Box live in Redmond, Oregon. Scott serves as Pastor of Development at Shiloh Ranch Church and has been a worship leader for over twenty-five years. Kariann works as a Realtor in Central Oregon and supports Scott\\’s\u2026creative spirit. They have two children, a one-hundred-pound Labradoodle and a four-pound Shih Tzu without teeth. Scott is the author of\u00a0HEROIC DISGRACE: Order out of chaos. Hope out of fear. \u2015 A Worship Hero Story<\/a>\u00a0<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\r\n<\/blockquote>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    By Scott Box<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1603,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[984],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8345","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-fresh-hope-for-mental-health"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nFresh Hope for Mental Health - Crisis. Control.<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/freshhope.us\/es\/crisis-control\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"es_MX\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Crisis. Control.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"By Scott Box\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/freshhope.us\/es\/crisis-control\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Fresh Hope for Mental Health\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-02-29T15:00:29+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-02-02T18:02:47+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Maria Elena Rivas\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Escrito por\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Maria Elena Rivas\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Tiempo de lectura\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"1 minuto\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/freshhope.us\\\/crisis-control\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/freshhope.us\\\/crisis-control\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Maria Elena Rivas\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/freshhope.us\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/470bbadc3911cd15de93d88a5ffcf964\"},\"headline\":\"Crisis. Control.\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-02-29T15:00:29+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-02-02T18:02:47+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/freshhope.us\\\/crisis-control\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1586,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/freshhope.us\\\/#organization\"},\"articleSection\":[\"Fresh Hope for Mental Health\"],\"inLanguage\":\"es\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/freshhope.us\\\/crisis-control\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/freshhope.us\\\/crisis-control\\\/\",\"name\":\"Fresh Hope for Mental Health - Crisis. Control.\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/freshhope.us\\\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2024-02-29T15:00:29+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-02-02T18:02:47+00:00\",\"inLanguage\":\"es\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/freshhope.us\\\/crisis-control\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/freshhope.us\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/freshhope.us\\\/\",\"name\":\"Fresh Hope for Mental Health\",\"description\":\"Empowering Those with a Mental Health Challenge Along with Their Loved Ones to Live Full, Rich and Hope-filled Lives\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/freshhope.us\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/freshhope.us\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"es\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/freshhope.us\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Fresh Hope for Mental Health\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/freshhope.us\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"es\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/freshhope.us\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/freshhope.us\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/02\\\/Fresh-Hope-for-Mental-Health-Logo.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/freshhope.us\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/02\\\/Fresh-Hope-for-Mental-Health-Logo.png\",\"width\":1013,\"height\":531,\"caption\":\"Fresh Hope for Mental Health\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/freshhope.us\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/freshhope.us\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/470bbadc3911cd15de93d88a5ffcf964\",\"name\":\"Maria Elena Rivas\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"es\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/caa9904c24561fc3e16387ad387daee1ef334ea75e8486558f8b5b4f7bc26061?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/caa9904c24561fc3e16387ad387daee1ef334ea75e8486558f8b5b4f7bc26061?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/caa9904c24561fc3e16387ad387daee1ef334ea75e8486558f8b5b4f7bc26061?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Maria Elena Rivas\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/freshhope.us\\\/es\\\/author\\\/maria-elena\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Fresh Hope for Mental Health - Crisis. Control.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/freshhope.us\/es\/crisis-control\/","og_locale":"es_MX","og_type":"article","og_title":"Crisis. Control.","og_description":"By Scott Box","og_url":"https:\/\/freshhope.us\/es\/crisis-control\/","og_site_name":"Fresh Hope for Mental Health","article_published_time":"2024-02-29T15:00:29+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-02-02T18:02:47+00:00","author":"Maria Elena Rivas","twitter_misc":{"Escrito por":"Maria Elena Rivas","Tiempo de lectura":"1 minuto"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/freshhope.us\/crisis-control\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/freshhope.us\/crisis-control\/"},"author":{"name":"Maria Elena Rivas","@id":"https:\/\/freshhope.us\/#\/schema\/person\/470bbadc3911cd15de93d88a5ffcf964"},"headline":"Crisis. Control.","datePublished":"2024-02-29T15:00:29+00:00","dateModified":"2026-02-02T18:02:47+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/freshhope.us\/crisis-control\/"},"wordCount":1586,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/freshhope.us\/#organization"},"articleSection":["Fresh Hope for Mental Health"],"inLanguage":"es"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/freshhope.us\/crisis-control\/","url":"https:\/\/freshhope.us\/crisis-control\/","name":"Fresh Hope for Mental Health - Crisis. Control.","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/freshhope.us\/#website"},"datePublished":"2024-02-29T15:00:29+00:00","dateModified":"2026-02-02T18:02:47+00:00","inLanguage":"es","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/freshhope.us\/crisis-control\/"]}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/freshhope.us\/#website","url":"https:\/\/freshhope.us\/","name":"Fresh Hope para la Salud Mental","description":"Ayudar a las personas con problemas de salud mental y a sus seres queridos a vivir vidas plenas, enriquecedoras y llenas de esperanza.","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/freshhope.us\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/freshhope.us\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"es"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/freshhope.us\/#organization","name":"Fresh Hope para la Salud Mental","url":"https:\/\/freshhope.us\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"es","@id":"https:\/\/freshhope.us\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/freshhope.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Fresh-Hope-for-Mental-Health-Logo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/freshhope.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Fresh-Hope-for-Mental-Health-Logo.png","width":1013,"height":531,"caption":"Fresh Hope for Mental Health"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/freshhope.us\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/freshhope.us\/#\/schema\/person\/470bbadc3911cd15de93d88a5ffcf964","name":"Maria Elena Rivas","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"es","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/caa9904c24561fc3e16387ad387daee1ef334ea75e8486558f8b5b4f7bc26061?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/caa9904c24561fc3e16387ad387daee1ef334ea75e8486558f8b5b4f7bc26061?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/caa9904c24561fc3e16387ad387daee1ef334ea75e8486558f8b5b4f7bc26061?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Maria Elena Rivas"},"url":"https:\/\/freshhope.us\/es\/author\/maria-elena\/"}]}},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/freshhope.us\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8345","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/freshhope.us\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/freshhope.us\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/freshhope.us\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1603"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/freshhope.us\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8345"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/freshhope.us\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8345\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/freshhope.us\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8345"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/freshhope.us\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8345"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/freshhope.us\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8345"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}