When Life Seems Out of Control...

Psalm 46

God is our refuge and strength,
    a very present help in trouble.
² Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
    though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
³ though its waters roar and foam,
    though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah

⁴ There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
    the holy habitation of the Most High.
⁵  God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;
    God will help her when morning dawns.
⁶  The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
    he utters his voice, the earth melts.
⁷  The Lord of hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

⁸  Come, behold the works of the Lord,
    how he has brought desolations on the earth.
⁹  He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
    he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
     he burns the chariots with fire.
¹⁰  “Be still, and know that I am God.
     I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth!”
¹¹  The Lord of hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

This Psalm was the subject of the sermon on Sunday. How timely, especially considering my last blog post! All week long (well it's only Tuesday) I've been mulling it over and over in my head, re-listening to it in my mind and letting it sink it. So many thoughts and aspects to this Psalm and the points from the sermon. I can't set it aside, it's been consuming my thoughts. A good thing I'd say. The subtitle to the sermon was "A God in control". And each point started with "When Life seems out of control...". Now, my life may not appear to be out of control, but internally, that's kinda how it feels. My life is not going as I would have chosen, and thus the out of control feelings. 

 When Life Seems Out of Control:

1. Let prayer change my perspective

*when God's people pray....God responds

*God may not remove our trouble, but he will be with me in it.  {I was watching a movie a couple nights ago and a young woman was trying to understand how a loving God can allow such heart-wrenching things to happen. I loved the simple explanation the man had for her:  "The truth of God's love is not that he allows bad things to happen. It's His promise that He'll be here with us when they do."  This resinated so strongly with me and I reflected on how His promise “Never will I leave you;
    never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5 & Deut. 31:6. God never promised me specifically anything; no promised of a happy and easy life. No promises of children. No promises of blue skies, rainbows, and bubbles. He DID promise His people that we would NEVER walk alone! For those of us who call God our Abba Father, He will ALWAYS walk with us, carry us even, but He will never leave me nor forsake me. What comfort in difficult times and seasons that is!}

*Phillipians 4:5-7 " ⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

*God is in charge, I am not

*Give things to God "palms down" - letting go with no intention of taking them back. :)  

*The more uncertain and terbuletn my life gets, the more I need prayer & to be humble.

* 1 Peter 5:6-11 "⁶Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, ⁷casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. ⁸  Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. ⁹  Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. ¹⁰ And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. ¹¹  To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen."

*Hebrews 11:23 "²³ By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king's edict."  {Moses' parents had faith when they put Moses in the basket. They had no idea what would happen to their innocent little baby, but they trusted that God did and had it all figured out.}

* Romans 8:28 "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." No matter what our circumstances God has a plan in them. He knows the whys of it all, no matter how painful. I don't know why we're moving, but HE does and He has a plan in it all. I don't understand why we lost our babies, why my friends have lost babies, why Cheyenne's mom died so suddenly and so young. why there are children living on the streets or without families who love and protect them, why the world is so filled with pain and suffering, why goodbyes are so hard. 

When Life Seems Out of Control...

2. Remember Who I belong to.

*Remember who's kid I am...God's kid!

*Cling to him... “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Deut. 31:6

*Be like a child: It doesnt matter what you are going through; it only matters who is going WITH you." - A child will go anywhere with their parent they trust, even if it's scary, because they are with them. God will never lead me through a situation only to leave me in it, or push me into something frighting. He loves me and will ALWAYS be with me.

When Life Seems Out of Control...

3. Know God Wins & So Do I

*We will see peace, we will be vindicated

*Eternally these things are solved! - don't try to fix everything here

*The Kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of our God - Rev 11:15-19 

*Psalm 37:5-7 "⁵  Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. ⁶He will bring forth your righteousness as the light and your justice as the noonday. ⁷ Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!" "Be still..."

So in all this...as my life is feeling out of MY control, it is fully in GOD'S control! :) My job: Be Still!