Philippians 4:6, Psalm 37:5-9, Isaiah 55:8-9

Jeff Cutts

We like to be in control don't we, knowing what's going to happen and how and when it will happen. When things are out of our control we can feel insecure. How easy is it to forget that it's a privilege to be able to pray, 'Your Kingdom come, Your will be done'?

My wife Susanne and I pray about many things together, particularly decisions we have to make and we ask for Father God's direction in these decisions. It seems a good idea, after all the Bible clearly says, 'Don't worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank Him for what He has done.' (Philippians 4:6)

Some people have said to me that you can't rely on God and you should be responsible for yourself, make your own decisions and use your own God given common sense. Looking at some of these people they seem to be doing well, perhaps much better than me if we were to compare our cars, interior décor or holiday destinations; but what about looking at a bigger picture?

It's not that I disagree with being responsible, that's a good thing. Using our common sense and making decisions for ourselves are also important, yes. I do disagree with the opinion that you can't do these things and rely wholeheartedly upon God and so I want to responsibly decide to follow the directions found in Psalm 37:5-9:

Commit everything you do to the Lord.
Trust him, and he will help you.
He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn,
and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.
Be still in the presence of the Lord,
and wait patiently for him to act.
Don't worry about evil people who prosper
or fret about their wicked schemes.
Stop being angry!
Turn from your rage!
Do not lose your temper-
it only leads to harm.
For the wicked will be destroyed,
but those who trust in the Lord will possess the land.

To commit everything you do to the Lord and allow Him to help you is an amazing exchange. So what if my common sense is challenged by my circumstances? What about when I am not in control? Well here are another couple of things I want to remember:

'My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are my ways your ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts' (Isaiah 55:8-9)

I'm going to take this verse and realise from it that I don't know it all; God does. It's not just that He is slightly more intelligent than us; His thoughts are infinitely higher than ours. I may not understand or control my situation, but I am going to rely on Him in it; bring it to Him in prayer, to 'Be still in the presence of the LORD and wait patiently for him to act'.

Another thing is that if I get on and make my own decisions without involving God; get on being responsible for myself; it's all about myself and my will.

Things don't always go my way and I can find myself losing my temper in my own willfulness, which will only lead to harm if I don't realign my heart attitude and become one of those who 'trust in the Lord'; but that means realigning my heart to submit to things happening His way.

When we come to Jesus it cannot be with our own list of demands and rights or a shopping list of my wants and my will. Turning to Jesus involves the demotion of our own will and the promotion of His; it means turning to Him in submission to His will and His infinitely higher ways of working in us.

Let us find security not by trying to take control, but in surrendering to Him.

Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him and he will help you.