Thursday, April 19, 2012

Control pt II

Last week I did a short post on control -- or rather, learning to live without it. I didn't really expect that post to go anywhere special, but I had an epiphany earlier this evening and I just had to share it.

Hence "Control pt II."

My epiphany actually started this morning, after I woke up from a horrid dream in which someone close to me died. I've never experienced a loss like that in the real world, but in my dream it was dreadful. It left a huge impression on me, because I've never felt a loss that final before in my life.
I suppose it's silly, considering it was only a dream. It wasn't even a fully realistic dream (few of them are) but that terrible feeling of permanent loss -- that was way, way too personal.



I've been kind of pondering it all day, because as I said in my first post on control, I struggle with entrusting the people close to me to God. I want to keep them all safe -- I find it immensely hard to trust that God's plan is better for them than mine could ever be.

I know God loves them more than I do, but even if the best thing for them is heaven, that still leaves me down here!
As I was thinking about this, trying to comprehend HOW I could even begin trying to trust God with something (or someone) so important to me, I realized something crucial. Not only does God love my family much more than I ever could, He ALSO loves ME far more than I love myself.

In my thinking about trusting God with my family, I 've been forgetting that I need to trust him with me, too. Of course He wants what’s best for them, but He wants what’s best for me just as much. And that feeling of loss, dreadful as it may seem, isn’t hopeless or permanent.
Because no matter how many people leave me, I’ll always have Jesus. I’ll never have to suffer that empty feeling alone.

“I will never leave you nor forsake you.” – Hebrews 13:5

I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU. Never.



When I was writing this, I went on a Google search for Bible verses that said that God won’t give us more than we can handle. Surprisingly, I couldn’t find any.
The reason for this is that God does give us more than we can handle alone. In the Bible there are tons of Godly people who were given much, much more than they could’ve ever handled alone.

But they weren’t alone. And neither are we.

God never promised to go easy on us – instead He promised that hard times would come for us as Christians, but that He makes it very clear that we will never have to face them alone.

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." - John 16:33


"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified, do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." - Joshua 1:9





Matt Redman's song "Never Once" illustrates my point perfectly.
"Standing on this mountaintop
Looking just how far we've come
Knowing that for every step
You were with us...
...Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did you leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, you are faithful...
...Carried by Your constant grace
Held within Your perfect peace
Never once, no, we never walk alone."

Never alone.
Never.





5 comments:

  1. Wow. Hmmm...I think I really need to take this to heart. It's funny, this idea of...control, trying to help people, thinking that something bad will happen if I don't do something...this has all been on my mind a lot the last two days or so. I really need to remember that people are in God's hands, and they don't need me. Sure, God may choose to use me here and there, but I can't get so caught up in thinking I can control a situation, and a person's well being rests and falls on my strength or understanding.
    And I also need to do a much much better job remembering that God loves me/wants what's best for me. I've not really been living in that reality of late.
    Thanks for the post. Very true. :)
    (by the way, 1 Corinthians 10:13 talks about how God will never lead us into a temptation we cannot overcome. We will always have enough strength to resist temptation. Maybe that's the verse you were thinking of. :))

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    1. Exactly. :) It's personally one of the hardest things (if not the hardest thing) about my relationship with God.
      I'm really glad you liked the post - I learned a lot yesterday. :P
      (I'll go look that up right now)

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    2. Well as long as you know it's a hard thing for you, then you can work on it. And of course, the Holy Spirit will work with you and help you. :)
      That's great! I'm glad you're learning. :)

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    3. Another great post! Point well made. I love how you said that. God loves those we love far more than we could. How do you think of these things? :) It's funny how the stuff we've been taught our whole lives sometimes just hits us.

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    4. Thanks, Maddy! I'm glad you enjoyed it. :)
      I don't really think of them, exactly...I'll just be thinking about something related and I'll kind of just REALIZE it. It's something that's always been there, I just didn't see it right away. :)

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