“So also Abraham ‘believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.’ Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham.” Galatians 3:6-7 (NIV)
There have been some situations in my life recently where I’ve been asking God what His will is for our family. What exactly He wants us to do… and if I were completely honest, I’ve wondered if God cared about what was best for me or if He was willing to “feed me to the lions” in order to save the other people who are involved in the situation instead. I wondered at times if I was the sacrifice.
One way I chose to counter the above lie I was beginning to believe was to quote Jeremiah 29:11 back to God, personalizing it (paraphrased): “You know the plans You have for me and my family, Lord. Plans to prosper us, not to harm us. Plans to give us hope and a future. If You said that in the Bible, then that promise is for all Your children, not just some and so I’m claiming that promise for our family. We aren’t pawns. We aren’t being sacrificed because You have great plans for us too.”
God, in His love, didn’t get mad at me for believing the lie. Instead, He used a completely different situation to show me just how powerful and in control of every situation He really is.
One morning, on the way to dropping off our littlest, he and I were both in our own worlds. My thoughts had turned to a situation that was heavy on my heart and I was questioning God if I’d given our child the right advice. Not 30 seconds later, he pipes up from the backseat, asking me in essence the very question I’d just asked God.
I excitedly told him that I’d been thinking about the same situation myself, just then, and i thought God was very pleased with how our little was dealing with things and here was why. I was able to give him examples from the Bible about how he was showing Jesus’ love to others which is ultimately what God asks all of us to do, in every situation we face. I then asked him a thinking question and his answer lined up with what I’d been thinking as well.
The conversation lasted less than five minutes, but then God spoke to my heart directly. “Cheri… why do you worry all the time that I don’t have things under control? I’m so powerful that I can cause you and your son to think about the same situation, the same question, at the same time! If I can do that, don’t you think I have the other issue you’re wrestling with under control too? Don’t you think that I already have a solution that’s the best for everyone involved? I don’t favor any of My children over the others… you’re all precious to Me and while My answer may not look like what you’re thinking it should, trust Me… it will bless everyone involved.”
While I still need reminders at times by quoting His Word back to Him, I realized a very important truth that morning. God is all powerful and when He says I can trust Him with everything… I really can.
© Cheri Swalwell 2016