Between business, weakness and rest

This is a message that I spoke to my Wyld Life kids yesterday, but is really a message to me as well:

So it’s now fall and everyone’s used to school by now (and probably wishes that it was Christmas break). And soon the weather will be too cold that going outside without a jacket will not be advisable. The leaves will be gone before we know it too. Things change in life. And as much as we try to predict what’s going to happen, our guessing fails us. We try to plan out our days and weeks and years, but life often doesn’t go as planned. All the time I find myself thinking, well this isn’t how that was supposed to happen. 

In my life so often I try to have control. I have a plan and purpose then set out to do it. I get frustrated when things don’t meet my expectations and feel uncomfortable when life doesn’t end up the way I wanted it to. But then I am reminded, it is God who is in control, not me. We are to commit all of our life to God and rest in Him. Psalms 46:10 one of my favorite verses says, “Be still and know that I am God, I will be exulted among the nations, I will be exulted in all the Earth.”

My devotional book this year is a book called Jesus Calling and few days ago I was encouraged by what it said, so if it’s okay with you I’ll share a little of what it said. The devotional is written by a women who wrote the book by spending time in silence with God and listening to Him. These are his words to her, and to me, and to you too:

Trust me enough to let things happen without striving to predict or control them. Relax, and refresh yourself in the light of my everlasting love. My Love-light never dims, yet you are often unaware of my radiant Presence. When you project yourself into the future, rehearsing what you will do or say, you are seeking to be self-sufficient: to be adequate without my help. This is a subtle sin – so common it usually slips unnoticed.

The alternative is to live fully in the present, depending on me each moment. Rather than fearing your inadequacy, rejoice in my abundant supply. Train your mind to seek my help continually, even when you feel competent to handle something by yourself and things that require My help. Instead, learn to rely on Me in every situation. This discipline will enable you to enjoy life more and to face each day confidently. 

In Ephesians 6:10 in the Bible it says, “Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.” When a friend and I were talking about this verse and discussing it’s meaning, I asked him what he thinks it really means to be strong in the Lord. He said that being strong in the Lord means being completely weak without Him. I hadn’t ever thought of that before and that made a lot of sense. However, if I’m being honest wit you guys, I don’t know if I know how to be weak. I like to control my own life and feel a sense of self-mastery. But like I said before the reality is that I am not in control. I am weak whether I like it or not. And that’s okay. 

I don’t know if you guys have ever felt weak or helpless, how often you have the feeling that you can’t do anything about your situation. Maybe you failed a test. Maybe you got into a bad fight with one of your friends, or you and your boyfriend/girlfriend broke up. Maybe you found out a family member was terminally ill or your mom and dad are getting a divorice. All these things suck and I’m not going to pretend they don’t. But we cant carry these burdens by ourselves without feeling incredibly overwhelmed and powerless. 

Hardships in life happen that we can’t control, and at times we seem so helpless, but I want to encourage you guys that it’s okay to feel helpless. Because when we feel like things are out of our control, we can turn to God and ask him to be our strength. It says in Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”