God is in control.
We say we believe it.
Then we’re smacked in the face
with a circumstance far beyond our ability to manage, and we feel we’re groping in the dark trying to find a handle—something to hold—anything
that would help give us a sense of control. It can be really scary.
Even blessings can have this
effect.
I have a dear friend who went
through a huge remodel of a home her family had just purchased. She had small
children and not only did she have the move to the new home with which to contend,
but the unpredictability of whether she would have running water in the
kitchen or a toilet that would flush, and the stress of having people hammering
in her home eight hours a day had her in tears. As she sobbed, she kept saying,
“It’s all a blessing. It’s all a blessing.” But the blessing of gaining what
would be a lovely place for her family to live had stolen her joy and made her feel life was spinning out of control.
When I was recovering from Post
Traumatic Stress, I had to face my need to control. Now, I’d tell you that I
believed God was in control, but secretly, I knew I liked to help Him out. A
lot.
I have another friend who
struggled this way for years, and one morning, she says she woke up and heard
God say, “Sylvia (not her real name), you take the day off, I’ll run things
today.” It was the beginning of a new way of living for her.
If I’m honest, I still find
myself struggling this way, sometimes.
One of the wisest men ever said, “Many
are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that
prevails” (Proverbs 19:21).
While we’re making our plans and
trying to run the show, ultimately, God’s purpose and God’s plan prevails. Best
to go along at the outset.
Right beside you, friends, as we
let go of the reins.