Wednesday, August 22, 2007

FAITH vs. CONTROL

I am once again posting a devotional from THE WORD FOR YOU TODAY because it spoke so clearly to me.

"If you give up your life for me, you will save it"
Luke 9:24 cev
When you obsess over problems instead of looking to God for solutions, the enemy will magnify your fears. If he can't get you to worry about the present he'll remind you of everything that could go wrong in the future! Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "All I have seen, has taught me to trust God for all I haven't seen." The last time you checked, wasn't God still bigger than any terrorist attack, financial disaster, illness, accusation, or mess you found yourself in? Well, He hasn't changed! David said, "He won't go to sleep...The Lord is...at your right side...(He)will...keep you safe...wherever you go" Ps 121:3-8 cev; plus His angels are watching over you 24/7.
It all comes down to faith vs. control. You can struggle to handle things on your own - or trust your Heavenly Father. That's the choice! It's not about "blind faith," it's about believing that God is who He says He is. And it's an issue you need to settle in your mind once and for all, because if you don't believe He wants only the best for you, you'll keep trying to run the show. Control isn't responsibility. Responsibility is doing your part by praying, obeying, and trusting God. Control is manipulating the circumstances to engineer the outcome you want. Jesus knows how we like holding on to things we're not wise enought to control, so He said. "If you want to save your life, you will destroy it. But if you give (it) up...for me,,you'will save it."Luke 9:24 cev. Bottom line - you either trust God or you don't!
cev = Contemporary English Version


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21 comments:

Frazzled Farm Wife said...

Once again, a very good post Susan. I like how you make me examine my life and work on it all the time. I know God brought you into my life for that reason. I thought I had it all together but you constantly challenge me through your words to keep striving for a better me.

candy said...

I trust Him.

:)


Hugs,
Candy

Jenny said...

My friend, we are on the same page. Giving up control is so hard, yet is something we MUST do in order to live. God is sovereign and He wants good for our lives. How come it takes us so long to understand that, and take our hands off?? Come on over, and read what happened to me last night about this same thing!

Beth said...

I avoid visiting new sites because my daily reads list is getting too long to be manageable. But after reading so many of your great comments on so many different sites, I finally decided to visit.

Lingering on your site has been so refreshing to my spirit. I enjoyed reading so many things about you and I'm sure I'll be back. The sweetness of who you are (and better yet Who you belong to) comes shining through. Thanks for the uplift to my day. It's always so nice to find a kindred spirit. : )

Lori said...

What a great post. So very true.
Thanks for the reminder to not worry about things but rather trust God to take care of them.
I do trust God.
I used to be more of a worry wart then I am now. So good to now that God is there for us through our trials.

... said...

great reminder about responsibility and control. it's not easy to let go of that control, even though we know it's what's best.

A Captured Reflection said...

I thought - hey, Susan's been reading my mind...but I know we don't do that, you know what I'm saying...I was feasting on this scripture yesterday, about giving up my own life, trusting, going for it. Part of me is totally excited and the other part is ...oooh, where is this going to take me?

Mountain Mama said...

Excellent post. I love Emerson's quote. I need to post it all over my house but mostly in my heart!

Annie said...

I trust God. He's my rock. I wouldn't last a minute without the hope and faith I have in Him.
Great post Susan!
love,
Annie

Melissa said...

You've explained the verse in a way that I understand it and how it applies to my life RIGHT now,

:)
~Melissa

Anonymous said...

Amen and amen!

So glad Beth stopped over and found you! She's one in a million and so are you! Yes, she is the one who got me rolling in this world of blogging. I guess we can both thank her because she had a small hand in bringing us together :)

Momma Roar said...

A terrific post again sweet Susan!

Thank you for challenging us!

Just Mom said...

Thanks. I needed that. :-D

Karen said...

Very appropriate for me this week, too.
Thank you, Susan for all the praying you've done on behalf of us to see us through a few rough spots. I appreciate it so much.
Blessings and hugs,
Karen

Maxine said...

He is the only one we can trust. He is Ruler over all.

A Captured Reflection said...

Hello there, I have just tagged you, see my tag time post.

TO BECOME said...

I choose to trust God.

I hope you don't live near where all the flooding is taking place Susan. I have been thinking about you. connie from Texas

Pen of Jen said...

I love the responsibility list!! Thank you Susan!

I agree so wholeheartedly God is Bigger than everything.

Amen and Amen!
Jennifer

Lyndy said...

Oh goodness what a wonderful post. Thank you so much for sharing this. I need to read this every morning.

weavermom said...

Wish I had learned this the easy way several years ago! :) What a concise, well-written way to put it.

~~Deby said...

So good...Susan......yes indeed HE is bigger....and does know best" Father knows best"
Deby