“Leave to thy God, to order and provide; in every change, He faithful will remain.”
Katharina von Schlegal
It never fails. Or should I say He never fails. Every time I think I have nowhere to turn, nowhere to go, that there is no one there for me, He comes to my rescue. Every time. Without fail. Every time, that is, that I remember to ask for His help. That’s the wonderful thing to me about God: that He never fails me. It’s also the curious thing about me: that I often fail to ask Him to help me. You would think I’d learn. You would think I’d remember how good it is when I let Him lead. You would think I’d think!
I suspect I’m not the only one living this paradox. In fact, I suspect that every one of us has been guilty of living it at one time or another. Maybe far too often, right?! Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m only human. A human still trying to find my way in a puzzling and frustrating world. A human too stubborn and proud to give myself overto anyone or anything else, too jaded to trust completely, too wary to place myself entirely in anyone’s hand except—maybe— His. A human who does not want to worry about anything, but who isn’t quite ready to give up the luxury of worrying if it means giving up control of my life in the process. A human just like you, right?
When I was getting ready to graduate from college, my mother gave me the most important advice she’s ever given me—and she’s given me a lot over the years. My mother is a wonderfully wise person, though, and I respect her enormously. When she tells me things, I pay attention, because she, too, has never failed me. Her advice has ranged from ways to deal with friends (when I was younger) to colleagues (now that I am older), from religion (when I was younger) to spirituality (now that I am older), from cooperation (when I was younger), to independence (now that I am older). She is the one who helped me make peace with myself as a teenager, and she helped me make peace with God as a young adult. “Place your destiny in God’s hands,” she told me” and you will always be safe, you will always be secure. You will never have to worry.”
She was right, you know. He has never failed me whenever I have consciously asked Him to take charge of my life, and even when I haven’t. He has always taken care of me whenever I’ve had the courage to place my life, my destiny, in His hands. And yet—for some reason, I don’t always immediately give my problems over to Him. I know from experience that all I have to do is ask. So, why is that so hard for me? I don’t even like to click he “help” button on my computer! And why am I not alone in this hesitance to trust? Don’t some of you have that same struggle? Perhaps it’s because we don’t always want to go where God takes us if we give ourselves over to Him. Or perhaps it’s not that we don’t want to go, but that we’re afraid to go, or afraid we won’t be able to do what He requires if we give Him our lives. Or perhaps we want what He wants, but are afraid others will make fun of us or won’t understand us for following His will instead of ours. Or perhaps we are less sure of Him than we are of ourselves.
Let me tell you something—something I know for a certainty. You will never regret giving yourself over to God’s charge. Never. I never have, although I have often wondered just how things were going to work out. But without fail, when I’ve looked back, I’ve been able to see that whatever has happened, when I’ve placed my trust and my destiny in God’s hands unconditionally, it has been the right thing. Without fail. That’s an incredible statement, don’t you think? Even more incredible is to know it is not hyperbole. It’s true, I think, because God loves us unconditionally. And He has plans for us. Plans He hopes to put to use if only we ask and allow Him—to. He tells us in Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you…plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
But how do we get to that place? How do we keep from worrying about our destiny and let it rest easily in His hand? Jesus suggests some very specific things to do with the time we might otherwise use up in worrying, and I’d like to recommend them to you today. He says to seek first His kingdom. That means to focus your attention on heaven before you do anything else. If you do that, all other things will fall into place. If you do that, you will be able to embrace His second suggestion. “Do not be afraid,” He says. If you are focused on Him and your heavenly future, you have nothing to fear for your earthly present. He will take care of you. He will not forsake you. Not only in the big things—like school plans and finances—but also in the little things, no matter how trivial they might seem. Third, He tells us “Do not worry for tomorrow, for tomorrow will take care of itself.” If your attention is on today, and you are living today for the kingdom, there is no need to worry about tomorrow. In fact, the kingdom is already yours for the believing, because the Father wants to give it to you. Jesus goes on to suggest that we not anchor ourselves with earthly possessions—or worries. He tells us to give them all up for what we will have in His kingdom. “For,” He says, “where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
I love the words to that wonderful hymn “Be Still my Soul.” They have empowered me over and over since I first read them and paid attention to their meaning:
Be still my Soul, the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God, to order and provide;
In every change, He faithful will remain.
Be still my Soul, thy best, thy heavenly friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.
Be still my Soul, thy God doth undertake
to guide the future as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my Soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.
Be still my Soul: the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord,
When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone;
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my Soul: when change and tears are past,
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.
Today, I encourage you to give your life over to Jesus. Place your destiny and your plans fearlessly and confidently in the hands of your Best Friend. He will never fail you. Never.
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