Giving Up Control
What a crazy few weeks it’s been! I can honestly say that I have never experienced a worldwide event of this magnitude in my lifetime that has impacted so many different aspects of life. The coronavirus outbreak has not only resulted in a heightened level of precautions being taken by individuals and various institutions, but it has led to countless cancellations and closures of various events, businesses, and gatherings. As a result of the fear and uncertainty surrounding this time, some have been driven to prepare for the worst by stocking up on food and supplies in an attempt to regain a sense of control.
As humans, we want to be in control. By nature we want to have a sense of security. We want to know that our lives and the lives of those we love are in good hands. Oftentimes, the last thing we want is to feel as if our lives are out of our control. In times such as this, our eyes are opened to the realization that our lives really are not in our own hands.
In the Old Testament book of Job, we read the account of a man who had been afflicted with disease and had experienced countless tragedies. God had allowed the devil to test Job by attacking him in every way possible short of death. Yet in spite of everything that Job had faced, he makes this confession: “In His hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind” (Job 12:10). Job recognized that in spite of everything he was facing, his life was still in God’s hand.
God is in control. We say it. We believe it. But do we really live it? Do our lives reflect a firm and unwavering trust in the One who holds all things together? As Cassie and I have been seeking the Lord’s leading with regard to where He would be calling us next in ministry, there have been times when we become anxious about the future. We wrestle with the uncertainty of the unknown. Still, we find comfort and can rest in the promise that God is faithful to us and our lives are in His hands. He is in control.
In the song “Control” by Tenth Avenue North, I find the lyrics of the chorus to be so fitting: “God You don't need me, but somehow You want me. Oh, how You love me; somehow that frees me to take my hands off of my life and the way it should go...to open my hands up and give You control. I give You control.” In the face of sickness, uncertainty, disappointment, and sorrow, trust in God’s goodness, rest in His peace, and find comfort knowing that your life is in His hands.
Intern Seth Moan