God in Control

Have you ever been in a situation where the events happening around you seem to be against you? Does this type of situation vividly remind you that you are not in control? Or are there times when you worry about things that seem like no big deal to others? Many situations put us in vulnerable positions. How do you handle these situations when they assault you?

I like to picture Jesus as he is in Mark’s account of the storm in Mark 4:35-41. While the disciples were panicking, Jesus was calmly sleeping on a cushion in the stern of the boat. My visual of Jesus is total calm, total peacefulness. What seems like a big deal to us is probably never a big deal to Jesus. Much of our lives seems like problems to be solved, but the things we worry about are not the same things that God thinks about. Our agendas are not the same as God’s. We do not see things the same way as God sees them.

Probably in our lifetimes here on earth we will never think and act like God. But by living our faith each day we strive for that kind of living. So what do our faith practices look like? Do you have a sacred space where you work at strengthening your faith? A place where you can spend time in silence pondering and meditating? Where it is just you and the Lord exploring the questions and needs that arise in the normal course of living by faith? In this sacred space you will feel the support of your personal needs around the Holy Spirit’s work within you and through you. It is where you grow your relationship with God.

We live here on earth and work through the slow process of becoming more loving and caring. Sometimes it is not an easy process. Our culture does not always show the respect, the dignity, and the caring that we long for. We want to see Jesus in our interaction with others. We want mercy, love, forgiveness, and grace. We can see Jesus in all sorts of situations; some that don’t even make sense. But by faith we seek out the holy attributes that we know are God within us. We believe in the Holy Trinity and yet we don’t really understand it. We have language but we cannot really explain it.

God wants to carry our burdens. He doesn’t want us to be afraid. The life Jesus calls us to is a very blessed life. Mercy, grace, and holiness are attributes of that life. And yet, we have our day to day life where there are many fears, many trials, many burdens to carry.

There are times when we might feel that our culture wants to pit us against each other. If we fear the other side, perhaps we can be won over. But, when we feel that way, we should remember that our Lord is everywhere. We have to look for Jesus in the places where we would never expect him. We need to seek him out in all people so we can find our common ground and share his love with all who needs us.

The world today feels very different from the world in which I grew up. It seems less gentle, less caring. I wanted our world to emerge from the trial of Covid with different attitudes toward each other after the isolation we had endured. But, somehow, the differences we see are not what I longed for. Where there is unrest, I long for reconciliation. Where there is hatred, I long for love and finding our similarities. Where there is fear, I long for trust in the Lord.

Through prayer and the study of scripture we can slowly grow and understand God’s plan for his beloved children. As I said, God’s agenda is not the same as ours. So it is important to listen for what the Holy Spirit whispers to us each day. Pay attention to those nudges that are surely the Holy Spirit telling us things that we should do: send that note, call that friend, visit that shut-in.

Our growth is a slow growth, each day with progress made that we might not even recognize. But God IS working with us and through us to bring out the best in all of us; to bring out the best for the good of all. He wants us to give it all to him. He is in control and will make all things right.

Belief in God is about love, but there is so much more. A victory has been promised as we place our trust in the Lord. We become connected to the one who has been raised from the dead. God ultimately is stronger than anything this world presents to us. We are members of his household and look for what has been, is, and is to come.