Been thinking lately about whether I truly believe God is in control. Or is it just something I say when I’m feeling “spiritual”, and everything is “peachy?” Or, is it what I say to encourage someone, or do I say it when I am at a loss for words in a difficult situation?
About a year ago, I fell and since then I had several problems with my legs and ankles. Although I was told that it would take quite some time to heal the soft tissue injury, I was feeling a bit discouraged, suffering from the “why so long, God, why me” syndrome—a “pity party” with only one guest—me.
Later that day I was preparing for my Bible Study when I felt the Holy Spirit impress on me, “Do you really believe that God is in control.” Immediately, my “spirituality” sprang into action, and I said, “Of course, I do! What a question!” Sometime later, the Holy Spirit reminded me of the question. This time, it stopped me in my tracks and caused me to do some soul searching. My answer did not change; it still was “Yes, I believe God is in control.” However, through the process of really examining myself, I discovered that it’s often easy for me to say but, difficult to apply to my life, especially when everything seems to be falling apart. I realized that often I become too flippant in my expressions regarding my beliefs, and I often repeat them without truly thinking about what I am saying.
I realized that if I really believed God is in control, then I would always, no matter what is happening, trust that He is doing what is best for me as He uses time and afflictions or problems to mold me to be more like His Son, Jesus. The time of healing is not wasted but used for God’s purpose in our lives. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT) tells us to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. See his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” The path for us to take is often patience as God works in our hearts, heals our physical bodies, or works through our circumstances and concerns.
We must be careful we don’t become superficial about what we believe. Too many times, we find that we don’t understand what God is doing and perhaps think that God has forgotten us. However, if we are searching for answers, we can depend on the Holy Spirit, who is always attentive to our needs, to find ways to make what God is doing known to us—many times through prayer, sermons, Bible reading, Bible study, or perhaps another person. Then, it is up to us to wait and listen to that small voice and then apply it to our lives—God is in control in every aspect of our lives—even when we can’t see or understand, and everything appears to be in chaos. John 5:17 (NIV) says, “But Jesus replied, “My Father is always working, and so am I.”
~Juanita Adamson 10-31-22
