Big Idea: When you are trying to control, ask if it is for God alone.
Scripture: Philippians 4:19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
Devotion: One of my favorite new worship songs is The Lord Will Provide by Passion. The chorus says this, “Everything I need, my Father has it. Every single time, the Lord will provide. My Father has it.” A lot of our desire for control stems from worry and anxiety. If we can steer the ship and determine the course, we don’t have to worry. Surrendering those things over to the Lord means we are giving control of our lives over to Him. This song is such a beautiful reminder for me and a declaration over my life: everything that I could ever need, my Father has it. He will provide for me every single time. I don’t need to worry and be anxious because He is faithful to supply all that I need.
One question that we can ask ourselves when we are trying to control is: is this for God alone to control? I shared a story earlier this week about being in the hospital with our firstborn and listening for his breathing. When I reflect on it, that is a something for God alone to control. He will determine the number of days that each of my children has. My husband and me staring at our baby intently wasn’t going to change that. There are certain things that truly just are not ours to control. They belong to the Lord alone. Our health, longevity, and marriage-status are all things that we can do our best to make good decisions about. But we ultimately recognize that those are things that the Lord has control of, not us.
This is where that reminder comes back in: everything I need, my Father has it. Every single time, the Lord will provide. And as an even further reminder, the song references Matthew 6:33 ESV, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” When we pursue the Lord first, everything else in life is just a blessing above and beyond from Him. We may not be able to control all things, as some belong to God alone. He may not always give us the outcome that we are hoping for. But we can recognize that in our surrender, we can trust Him and pursue Him. And regardless of how God, in His sovereignty, directs our course, we can know that we live a blessed life when we seek Him first.
Reflect:
- What big areas of your life do you recognize that God alone is in control of? Take some time to pray for peace over the surrender of those areas.
