If I Had My Way…

I heard my daughter utter the words, “If I had my way…” in regards to homework assignments and the volume that had been assigned. I’m sure she finished with something like, “…there would be none,”. But the words rang in my head, “If I had my way.”

Sometimes, I think we wish we could call all the shots controlling every piece of our lives and everyone in it. Some of us take it a step further and actually try to do this, holding things closely and strategically (so we think) putting every piece of the puzzle of our life in place. God gave me a picture one day about control. The picture was literally walking up to the Lord and snatching (not requesting) things out of His hands and putting them in our own. While that was a powerful picture, it was what I saw next that broke my heart. After snatching from Him, a look back to see the Lord with His head hung low in sadness knowing we would end up regretting what we would attempt to lay in place.

We were created with free will and never designed to control or be controlled. God desires us to choose Him and to allow Him to truly be Lord in our lives. This means full trust in Him. Trust in Him for our spouse, our children, our jobs, our futures, our relationships, our provision and ultimately our eternity.

There have been times when I took control of my own life and let’s just say it didn’t go so well. There have been times when I tried to control my spouse and my children…again, didn’t go well. Each time, I remember thinking, “Well that didn’t go like I had planned? Why is it more difficult now??” Through lots of tears, pain and seeking I’ve learned it didn’t go well because….wait for it…I’m not God! I don’t know the inner workings or thoughts and motives of those around me, I just have opinions. I don’t get to judge and control…that job belongs to the Lord alone. He sits on the throne and controls every aspect of this vast universe and He promises he will right every wrong, God doesn’t need my help. Don’t get me wrong, I have a responsibility to live a life of righteousness and help those in need, displaying the love of Christ and sharing the gospel with others, but I do NOT get to control, manipulate and judge the heart, motives and actions of others.

So…I’m good with not having it my way. My ways fail and are nothing compared to the ways of our gracious, loving God. He sees every single person , He knows their heart and He knows what mistakes they will make and what victories they will experience and He loves every single one equally. Trust God and His ways and plan for your life, release control and watch Him work!

Isaiah 55:9, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”