God Has Everything Under Control

Hosea 12:6 “But you must return to your God; maintain love and justice, and wait for your God always.”

Tenth Avenue North- By your side

"Why are you looking for love? Why are you still searching as if I'm not enough?"

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In high school I often wondered if I would have a high school sweetheart or not.

I would spend lots of time analyzing who it would be and if we would eventually get married like the stereotype suggests. In junior college, every new guy I met was possibly my future husband! At this point I wasn’t consumed by it, but I was entertaining the thoughts in my head a lot more than I should have been: (where would we live? Will we end up going to the same university after this? What will it be like bringing him to thanksgiving with our family?) Now, these thoughts are by no means straight evil. They are however, focusing on what is below rather than what is above. Philippians 4:8 says, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” If we dissected those thoughts, I am afraid we would be terribly ashamed to find out that compared to God almighty, these thoughts are useless garbage.

Also, Philippians 3:8 says, “What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ.” So if we are dwelling on these thoughts; daydreaming about the future and what will happen: (ex: Is he going to ask me out? What will I wear if he does, how should I do my hair?) we are not focusing on God. I realize it is humanly impossible to think about God every minute of every day, BUT it should be our goal to worship him in everything we do. That means honoring him in our thoughts as much as possible and praying as much as possible (1 Thessalonians 5:17.) If our thoughts are not holy like he is, we should bring them under Christ’s submission (2

Corinthians 10:5.)Furthermore, by worrying we are telling God that we don’t trust him. At OU I find many girls who are in serious God-fearing relationships and who are about to graduate college. In this situation their worries don’t consist of jumping to conclusions about every guy they meet. Instead, their thoughts focus on knowing if he is the right one or not.

(Is this the man you picked out for me God? I know you confirmed it once, but I’m still not sure. What about is background? You confirmed it again, but what about his family, are those going to be my relatives? Okay, okay, so you clearly spoke to me and told me this is THE guy, but is it really?)

These thoughts aren’t trusting God. God is truth (John 14:6) and truth doesn’t change. If God speaks something to you it is truth. When the scriptures say to do something he means it, he’s not going to change his mind 3,000 years later.

Earlier this week I was worrying about how I would act if I were to begin a God-centered dating relationship. I had never done that, I had no clue, and suddenly I was frantic to figure it out! Then like a gentle whisper, God let me know that he already had a plan and everything was already taken care of. I started to say, “But…”

“Shh…if you will just let me lead, I will give you everything you ever wanted.”

Pslam 37:4

At that point it became clear to me. We can think about it all we want. We can worry, we can analyze, we can discuss and pray and cry and wonder—but in the end, God’s plan will prevail either way (Proverbs 16:9.) So what good does it do to fret?

1 Peter 5:7 (NIV) “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

AKJV: “Casting all your care on him; for he cares for you.”

ISV: “Throw all your worry on him, because he cares for you.”

If God has everything under control, why not let him do it?

Matthew 6:25, 26-27

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?”