GOD: "The waves may toss and roar…but they can never pass the bounds I set." Jeremiah 5:22 (NLT)
Life is messy. There are a lot of tough questions. Watching my mom's health and life ebb away from a tenacious and unbeatable form of cancer, I have questions. Why her? Why this way? How long and far will it go? Why isn't God answering our prayers for healing?
Reading this verse in Jeremiah gives me great comfort. Because for me, one of my biggest underlying questions throughout life has been this: Is anyone in control? This question left unanswered can breed a host of unpleasant control issues and resulting consequences such as:
-
Taking my life and future into my own hands (a.k.a. exerting my will independently from God to work out my plans, my goals, my dreams without asking what He wants for me)
-
All the many problems that result from taking my life and future into my own hands.
-
Living in fear about the unknown in the future.
-
Scrambling to reduce the unknown & work out the future.
The truth is, there IS Someone in control, and it doesn't have to be me. In fact, things will work out a whole lot better for everyone if it's NOT me. Remember Jeremiah 29:11. For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
Satan has lied to us about God and his character. He wants us to think God is some big mean taskmaster in the sky, or some masochistic puppeteer, or else some hands off deity who's left the world find its own course.
Nothing could be further from the truth. God is a Loving Father who said, "If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him (Matt. 7:11)?"
Satan, the LIAR, is the only taskmaster and puppeteer around here. And the more you try to take control, the more you will subject yourself to his evil control. The more you give control to God by turning your life and will over to Him, the more free you will become. Cool paradox, huh?
Living in a world where the LIAR and his puppets share our space, and where the curse of sin has plunged us into all into a fallen mess, we have to remember:
-
There will be waves.
-
The waves will toss and roar.
-
God is in control of the final outcome and the bigger story.
-
I can let Him be in control of me and my future.
-
Nothing in my life will be left to chance.
-
Evil will not rule my life.
-
Everything will work out for the very best (I must be patient).
For my mom, I don't know why she's suffering so much. But I do know one thing. God is in control. He will bring good out of this somehow for her and for all of us. And in a short time, this earth—the only hell she'll ever know—will be gone away from her forever. He'll wipe away her tears and give her a new everlasting life and a glorious body. He is SO GOOD!