فصل 24

CHAPTER 24

God Is in Control

To truly become a better you, it is imperative to believe that God is in control of your life. Too many people go around worried and upset. They’re always trying to figure everything out. How am I going to get out of this problem? How can I change my child? When am I ever going to get married? Why won’t my dreams come to pass?

But that’s not the way God wants us to live. When we truly trust Him and believe that He’s in control, we can rest. There’s a peace in our hearts and minds. Deep down on the inside, we know that everything is going to be all right.

Many times, the reason we lose our peace and begin to worry is because we don’t see anything happening in the areas we are praying about or believing for. Everything looks the same month after month, year after year. But we have to understand that God is working behind the scenes in our lives. He has already prearranged a bright future for you. And if the curtain were pulled back so you could peer into the unseen realm, you would see God fighting your battles for you. You’d find your heavenly Father getting everything arranged in your favor. You’d see how God is getting ready to open a door and bring an opportunity across your path. I’m convinced that if we could really see how God is orchestrating everything behind the scenes, we wouldn’t worry. We wouldn’t live stressed out anymore.

“Well,” you say, “Joel, I’ve been praying for my child for two years, but I don’t see anything happening.” “I’ve been believing for my finances to improve, but they continue to dwindle.” Or “I’ve been praying for the right person to come into my life, but it’s been four years.” No, you don’t know what God is doing behind the scenes. Don’t get discouraged just because you don’t see anything happening. That doesn’t mean God is not working. In fact, many times God works most when we see it the least.

When we’re in one of those dry seasons and we don’t see anything happening, that is simply a test of our faith. We have to dig in our heels and show God what we’re made of. A lot of people get negative and discouraged. “Well, I never get any good breaks. I knew nothing good would ever happen to me.” “I knew I’d never get out of this problem.” No, you’ve got to zip that up. If you want to pass the test, you need to put a smile on your face and say, “I may not see anything happening, but I know God is working in my life.”

The Scripture says, “God is effectually at work in those who believe.” Notice, His power is activated only when we believe. God can work in your behalf your whole lifetime and you never really get the full benefit of it because you didn’t believe. Sure, you may get a break here or there, but when you really believe, when you really get up every day expecting good things, you’re going to see more of God’s favor. You’re going to see what He’s been doing behind the scenes.

And even when we have problems, even when things come against us, we have to believe that God already has the answer. In other words, that problem is no surprise to God. That child who won’t do right. That financial difficulty. Being lonely. That doesn’t have God baffled. God already has the answer. He knows the end from the beginning. God knows every trial we’re ever going to face in the future. The good news is God already has the solution. He has already made a way of escape. That tells me we don’t have to live life worried. We don’t have to go around all stressed out. God has it all under control.

It’s encouraging to look back over your life and see the things that had to be God. I know a young woman who met her husband on the side of the road. She had a flat tire on the freeway during rush hour, and he stopped to help change it. They started dating, and today they’re happily married.

Now, think about the chances of those circumstances coming together. That had to be the hand of God. God was saying to that woman, “It’s your due season. You’ve been faithful. You have passed the test. Now, let me show you what I’ve been doing behind the scenes all these years.” He had that young man move from another city. He gave him the right job and worked the details of his life so he was coming down the freeway at the exact right time. Only God can orchestrate that.

I believe God is working behind the scenes in your life. He is doing things that are going to thrust you to a whole new level. You may not see the culmination of it for years, so you must learn to trust Him. Stop worrying, don’t allow yourself to become frustrated because your dream is not happening as quickly as you would like. In God’s perfect timing, His plan for your life will come to fruition.

A friend of mine has what the doctors say is terminal cancer. They’re not giving him any hope. But the other day, his four-year-old son came in with his Bible. He opened it up and said, “Daddy, I want you to read this Scripture right here.” The little boy can’t read yet, so he didn’t know what passage he was pointing to, but when the father read the Scripture, it spoke right to his heart. It was John 11:4, a passage where Jesus said, “This sickness shall not end in death. But it is for the glory of God.” My friend took that to heart. He felt that was God saying, “I know what you’re going through. I’ve seen every tear you’ve shed. It may not look possible to you, but remember, I’m the God of the impossible. Keep believing. Keep trusting. I’m still in control.” These little signs are simply glimpses that God gives us to build our faith. They are reminders He is working behind the scenes. Our responsibility is to be sensitive to His leading, to be on the lookout for His hand moving in our everyday circumstances. If you are tuned in to God, you will soon recognize that most of the time, you don’t simply bump into somebody. You didn’t just get a lucky break. You don’t just happen to be at the right place at the right time. God has been directing your steps.

Even in our dark times, God is still working in our lives. Some young parents told me about their daughter who is now in heaven. When she was three years old, she contracted a serious illness that confined her to bed as death ominously approached. The parents were distraught and in so much pain. They rarely left their daughter’s side at the hospital.

Toward the end, the little girl drifted in and out of a coma. The parents knew they were about to lose her. But just before she died, she smiled with the most peaceful look on her face, and said, “Look, Mommy. Look, Daddy. Jesus is saying it’s okay to come.” She closed her eyes and breathed her final breath.

Even when we don’t think that we’ll ever smile again, God is there. He is the friend who sticks closer than a brother. He has a new beginning for you. The Bible says, “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” Dare to trust Him today. Dare to believe that even in your disappointments, heartaches, and pains, God is right there with you. He said He would never leave you nor forsake you.

Remember, when you believe, you activate His power. And keep in mind that just because you don’t see anything happening, that doesn’t mean God is not working. Why don’t you relinquish control and say, “God, I’m going to trust You. I know You have a great plan for my life.” When you do that, you will feel an enormous weight lift off you. And you’ll not only enjoy your life more, but you will see more of God’s blessings and favor. You will become a better you!