In our Bible study yesterday, we talked about the truth that human beings naturally like to be in control. We were also challenged to realize that, as followers of Christ, we are called to live differently, letting go of our quest to maintain control of our lives and trusting that God is in control instead. This way of living is far better than trying to go our own way and be in control. After all, it has been said that control is an illusion. The truth is, none of us is truly in control, even when we think we are. When we turn over control to God and let the Spirit guide us, we are turning everything over to the one who truly controls everything.
Proverbs 19:21 clearly states that we, as human beings, are not in control. The verse says, “You can make plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.” Make no mistake, we can research, hope, and plan all we want, but we will never be in control. Try as we might to plan, the weather can affect our plans to spend an evening outside, and illnesses can lead us to cancel plans we made weeks or even months earlier. These are just two examples that serve as reminders that we are not in control. God is the One who is in control of everything. As a result, His “purpose will prevail.” He has all power, authority, and control over everything, and that is a very good thing.
James 4 is a second passage of Scripture that teaches us that we are not in control. James writes in this passage of Scripture, “Look here, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year…’ How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone” (verses 13-14). We may make plans and take other steps to make us think we are in control, but that control is, indeed, an illusion. You see, life is uncertain and short. We do not know what tomorrow will bring, let alone a month or a year from now. We never know when our last moments will be. That is why James continued, saying, “What you ought to say is, ‘If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that’" (verse 15). Only God knows the future and has full control over everything, and He deserves every bit of our obedience and faithfulness as a result.
Try as we might to have control of our lives, we are simply not in control. Only God is in control. Recognizing that God is in full control and we are not is the first step in letting go of our pursuit of control and turning to God instead. You can leave the future into the hands of the One who holds your life and the world in His more than capable hands.
Memorize Proverbs 19:12 today. Let it be a reminder to you as you go throughout your day that you are not in control, try as you might to maintain control of your life. Instead, let this verse point you straight to the One who is in control of everything and commit to giving Him control of every area of your life.
“God, You are in control. I am not. Help me…”
1 Better to be poor and honest
than to be dishonest and a fool.
2 Enthusiasm without knowledge is no good;
haste makes mistakes.
3 People ruin their lives by their own foolishness
and then are angry at the Lord.
4 Wealth makes many “friends”;
poverty drives them all away.
5 A false witness will not go unpunished,
nor will a liar escape.
6 Many seek favors from a ruler;
Everyone is the friend of a person who gives gifts!
7 The relatives of the poor despise them;
how much more will their friends avoid them!
Though the poor plead with them,
their friends are gone.
8 To acquire wisdom is to love yourself;
people who cherish understanding will prosper.
9 A false witness will not go unpunished,
and a liar will be destroyed.
10 It isn’t right for a fool to live in luxury
or for a slave to rule over princes!
11 Sensible people control their temper;
they earn respect by overlooking wrongs.
12 The king’s anger is like a lion’s roar,
but his favor is like dew on the grass.
13 A foolish child is a calamity to a father;
a quarrelsome wife is as annoying as constant dripping.
14 Fathers can give their sons an inheritance of houses and wealth,
but only the Lord can give an understanding wife.
15 Lazy people sleep soundly,
but idleness leaves them hungry.
16 Keep the commandments and keep your life;
despising them leads to death.
17 If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord—
and he will repay you!
18 Discipline your children while there is hope.
Otherwise you will ruin their lives.
19 Hot-tempered people must pay the penalty.
If you rescue them once, you will have to do it again.
20 Get all the advice and instruction you can,
so you will be wise the rest of your life.
21 You can make many plans,
but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.
22 Loyalty makes a person attractive.
It is better to be poor than dishonest.
23 Fear of the Lord leads to life,
bringing security and protection from harm.
24 Lazy people take food in their hand
but don’t even lift it to their mouth.
25 If you punish a mocker, the simpleminded will learn a lesson;
if you correct the wise, they will be all the wiser.
26 Children who mistreat their father or chase away their mother
are an embarrassment and a public disgrace.
27 If you stop listening to instruction, my child,
you will turn your back on knowledge.
28 A corrupt witness makes a mockery of justice;
the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil.
29 Punishment is made for mockers,
and the backs of fools are made to be beaten.
