God As Your Control System
As humans, we have trouble accepting that we aren’t in control of everything in our lives. What we are in control of is the way we react to things. Our initial human responses are usually negative. We get filled with anxiety when a situation blindsides us. When someone cuts us off in traffic, we get angry. When someone says something mean about us, we right away come up with things we don’t like about them to throw in their face.
Yet, just because we know how we react to things, or the way we are, doesn’t mean we have to live that way.
In the same way, just because we know we are sinners, doesn’t mean that we settle living like one. When we sin, we do things our way, believing it is right. Thinking this way, and the actions that result, all stem from pride. Pride is about thinking you are more knowledgeable than God, in some ways, or that you are better than someone else.
God sees the whole view and is in complete control!
Therefore, if you feel that you need to know everything, and how it will work out, why not just get to know the One who does know, and He will show you the way.
There’s a story in the first book of the Bible, Genesis, that involves a man named Joseph. Joseph has a difficult story with great lessons.. He was sold into slavery by his brothers, thrown into prison for something he was accused of doing, and lived during a severe famine. But during all these events, God was clearing the path for Joseph. God had a greater plan for Joseph from the beginning. Even when Joseph was in prison, he stepped into a leadership position! He eventually was brought out of prison and was appointed to command the Pharaoh’s house and people. Then, during the famine, Joseph was reunited with his brothers after not seeing them since they had sold him into slavery years prior. They didn’t even recognize Joseph since it had been so long since they had seen him. Not to mention, they wouldn’t have expected him to be in a leadership position! When Joseph saw his brothers, he wasn’t resentful at all. In fact, he tells them, “and now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life” (Genesis 45:5). Wow! What an outlook on life Joseph had! Joseph pointed back to God and His plan every chance he could, trusting the whole time that God knew what He was doing. What a story of faith to model our faith after! God has a purpose behind everything. He uses all that happens in our lives for His glory. In addition, not only was Joseph blessed, but he was able to bless many others because of God positioning him in the right place at the right time! Isaiah 25:1 says “O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure.” You can praise God for who He is and what He is going to do believing that He has it all planned out. It has all been figured out since before you were born. God is faithful so His plans are sure. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” We witness this verse come to life in the way Joseph dealt with each situation he faced. And this verse didn’t even exist in his time! Joseph trusted God so much that he didn’t question why he was sold into slavery by his own family members, or why he was being wrongly accused and put into prison. He just knew God, that is what got him through. Joseph redirected focus to God in every circumstance knowing He had the answers. As we see the example of all this through Joseph’s life story, let’s work on looking through the same lens of faith that he used. When there are unexpected turns in our own lives, focus on knowing the One who makes our paths straight!
