Last week marked eight years since the homegoing to heaven of my beloved adopted Christian mom, “Mom G.” I had been thinking of her a lot and missing her, when the Lord did something very special— He arranged for me to discover a recording of “God Is in Control” on my phone that we had sung in church two months after her passing. The Holy Spirit had inspired me to write that song in honor of her and how she often reminded me of that truth whenever I got anxious. I’d forgotten that someone had videotaped it and sent it to me. Until I got a notice that my storage was almost full, and I could “manage storage”. When I went to do that, I saw the video of us singing that song, with the congregation joining us on the chorus.
That evening, after discovering the video, while my pastor-husband and I were walking our dog, he asked if I could give a testimony as part of his sermon, about a mentor in my life helping me overcome fear. I told him what happened, and we knew the Lord wanted me to talk about “Mom G.”. More evidence of His control.
As the Holy Spirit gave me the words to share this, it encouraged many people, including one youth who told me later how it reassured him in his own anxiety about school. I had mentioned that God’s control is always good, because He’s good, which replaces our fear with trust when we grasp His sovereign goodness.
His sovereignty and goodness put together means nothing can stop His plan for our best, not even people’s free will or our own mistakes or sin. He just weaves that in somehow, in ways we don’t always see.
“The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.” Ps. 103:19
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Rom. 8:28
Job, after he went through extreme trial and affliction, still trusted the Lord in this and declared “’I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.’” Job 42:2
Sometimes we see that good sovereignty sooner than later amid chaos and upheaval, when the Lord makes things right more immediately. Other times, it takes awhile to see where He is and what He’s doing when everything is out of control and things even get worse before they get better. But then, as in Job’s case, He brings restoration, and we see His good purpose in it all.
Perhaps it’s even harder to see His control when our harm comes not just from circumstance but from people’s evil intent toward us, causing a chain of life going from bad to worse, as happened to Joseph. His brothers bad-to-worse into motion by throwing him into a well and then selling him into slavery. But he never gave up on God’s good control, and by the end was able to tell those brothers, “…you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” Gen. 50:20
Still other times we may never see His control and/or the good of it in this life. That’s the hardest. But He will accomplish it, if for nothing else, to “…conform us to the image of His Son…” Rom. 8:29. Or to advance His Kingdom by our lives lived for Him, even if it means dying for Him, like the martyrs mentioned in Heb. 11:35b-40, “of whom the world was not worthy”, who fulfilled His plan.
For reinforcements in the battle against fear and anxiety, meditate on these Scriptures that confirm His control:
“Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all.” I Chron. 29:11-12
“Declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’…” Is. 46:10
If we live according to “What if…?” and “If only…”, we’ll live in fear. We need to know that even if the world or we mess up, God is still in control. This brings the calm assurance that He’s planning and making all things right.
Where do you need to see Him in control today?
Here’s a link to the song for further encouragement:
https://youtu.be/Dv0m2re8Atw?si=M49YsYIRbJhPKLGl
Leave a Reply