Quit complaining, give God control
Martha Olawale
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6.
Letting go is difficult because we feel better when we are in control and know the A to Z of the puzzles of life. Even when we can’t figure it out, we keep staring at it, hoping to work it out without God. We suppress the nudge to knock on Heaven's gate until we reach our wit's end.
The children of Israel, despite every effort by God to gain their trust, wavered over and over. They complained about eating the same food when the alternative would have been to go without. They complained about their deliverance from Egypt, though they suffered for years in bondage under Pharaoh. They complained about water rushing too fast when the alternative was drought.
How often do we tell God, “If you answer this prayer, I will trust you forever?” But the next discomfort we face leads us scrambling over everything and cowering in defeat. The fact that God delivered us from the missteps and troubles in the past does not count towards His faithfulness, and we search for alternatives outside of His grace. We are constantly guilty of gazing at the present worries instead of remembering God’s faithfulness from yesterday.
Trust is fundamental in any relationship, especially in our walk with Christ and more than anyone else, He is patient and consistent with His dealings with His children. Depending on God means releasing everything to Him in absolute trust, regardless of the terrains He’ll walk us through. To solely trust Him means He is our only life anchor without alternative life boats.
I have been through so many dark roads in my short life but, through them all, I have enjoyed the strength of God (read “Comfort through worship”). Sometimes, I look back and ask myself, “how did I get through that?” If we can get to that place of trust that we know God is who He says He is; eternal; sovereign; almighty; good; savior, we will enjoy rest even in the face of life’s greatest struggles.
The fact that we cannot see God face to face does not mean we should not trust Him more than reality permits us. Despite their knowledge and experience with the power of God, the children of Israel did not trust God any more than people who have not witnessed a single miracle. They even ventured to build a golden calf in place of God, who delivered them from Egypt. The fact that He walked them through the sea was not enough to keep their eyes on God, and at the slightest opportunity, they sought alternatives.
When we noticed that our daughter would whine because of one missing favorite snack even when she has other choices, we deliberately skip buying it to teach her that even when you don’t have your favorite, you are not worse without it. It is the same with our heavenly father. While He wants us to enjoy all that life can offer, He also wants us to grow in our faith and empathy towards others.
When David said in Psalm 23:1 “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing,” he was not referring to his riches or undefeatable army. He was talking about the sufficiency that comes from walking with God. He knew that with God on his side, even when he faces the Goliath’s of life, he is not alone.
When we allow God to oversee the affairs of our life, we lack nothing because we enjoy the constant presence of the King of the universe. When He withholds things from us, it’s because He knows their absence is more important for our character. Since we can’t walk through life without the help of God, we may as well surrender and allow Him to walk us through it.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing.” John 15:5
