%@LANGUAGE="JAVASCRIPT" CODEPAGE="1252"%>
Let God Control What You Can't
I am sure there are many people who get frustrated as they listen to the news.
We hear and read about scandals, dirty politics, out of control entertainment
characters, racist's fanatics, the weather, and social issues. Somewhere someone
is threatening to boycott a business, or ban a product or something we have
a right to possess. While we wish some things would happen to change the things
taking place in our world for the better, we are faced with the fact that ungodly
people are running the show in most of this world. People who have little or
no regard for God are approving and promoting all sorts of sinful behavior as
normal and acceptable, while at the same time bad-mouthing Christians and using
vitriolic language to silence them into doing nothing.
After getting so frustrated, we finally have to figure it out that we can't
do anything to change the situation. They are not going to accept my counsel
at any level of government. About the only way they might even listen to me
was if I made a substantial donation to their campaign. They will not listen
to reason, and they certainly do not want anyone telling them that God disapproves
of their lifestyle or behavior.
We would be better off to let God take care of the politics. What is going to
happen in this country and most others is that evil will triumph for a season.
Perhaps God will decide to end it all before it gets that bad. But, just in
case He does not end it all, we still have to have the resolve to be faithful
to God until death. Sadly many will not take the stand that God requires of
them. We pray for courage and strength just in case we are put in that situation,
that we will remain faithful and will not just look out for our own hides.
We are reminded that we are to trust in the Lord with our whole heart, and lean
not on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5). We can only trust God if we have
faith in Him, and faith in His promises to look out for us and protect us from
the evil one. This trust needs to be cultivated and improved in each of our
lives. Sure, we trust in God. Or so we think! We really do not know if we trust
in God until our faith is put on the line. Hopefully we will not be like Peter
who made a big commotion about the fact that Jesus said Peter would deny Him
three times. And realizing Jesus was right, Peter went out ashamed, and wept
bitterly. We may swear up and down that we would never forsake our Lord, and
minutes later shrink back from declaring our faith in Him.
We cannot control anything except our own self, and perhaps we can have an influence
upon others. Other than that, let God take control, and just put your trust
in Him. We do control our own destiny. We make the decisions in our everyday
actions that will determine our place in eternity. Our every choice and decision
has a bearing upon our soul. We choose to live like God wants us to live, we
can be eternally saved. We choose to ignore God's instruction, and we will be
eternally lost.
So many things that are beyond our control, yet we fret and worry and express
outrage and concern over these things. Jesus warned us to not worry, but to
let God take control. So we should. There might be a few less ulcers and headache's
to deal with when we turn things over to God. We still have to take care of
ourselves and do our daily business as God requires us to do, but the things
we cannot control; let Him.
By Carey Scott
Return to the General Articles page
Home / Bible studies / Bible Survey / Special Studies / General Articles / Non-Bible Articles / Sermons / Sermon Outlines / Links / Questions and Answers / What Saith The Scriptures /Daily Devotional / Correspondence Courses / What is the Church of Christ / Book: Christian Growth / Website Policy / E-mail / About Me /