If you want to hear God laugh, tell Him your plans

As human beings, particularly American human beings, we have been taught that we have total control over our lives; that we can be anything we want to be; that if we set goals and work hard enough to accomplish those goals, no one can stop us.  I am here to tell you that what control we seem to have is mostly the illusion of control.  At least this has been the case in my life.  Today I want to share with you a way to acknowledge that God actually has that control in the first place and that he will give us the control, wisdom, knowledge and courage we need to order our priorities and live into God’s will, and thus, have all the control we need.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?  And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?  And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these.  But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?  Therefore do not worry, saying, “What will we eat?” or “What will we drink?” or “What will we wear?” For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.   But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew6:25-34).

You see, whatever control we do have comes when we order our priorities with God’s priorities.  When we seek God’s Kingdom and God’s righteousness, then God is in control and we can see the order that our life can take. Then all those other things that we need: food, clothing, shelter, friends, family and love, and meaningful work and meaningful relationships will flow from the abundance of God. 

This does not mean we do not have to work for them or prepare ourselves to be ready to receive them, it simply means that God’s priorities become our priorities and that we are then able to receive through the Holy Spirit, the vision of our call and the wisdom, knowledge, courage and strength to do God’s will.

When we look at life in this way, the lack of total control ceases to be a problem and becomes an opportunity for us to become co-creators with God.

Blessings and Peace,

Ben Alford