This post is a part of my series of once weekly devotionals called Faith for Thought. Bookmark the homepage for Faith for Thought here to return to it for the weekly update on Thursday!
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James 4:13-16
13 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil.
James 4:13-16, NIV
Devotion
The other day I overheard a friend (who is weeks away from her due date) talking about how she has to go to doctor’s appointments every week. She was annoyed about it, and I didn’t blame her, honestly; I’ve never been a big fan of the doctor, and it sounded like her doctor’s office was not exactly close.
But it was what she said next that made me pause: “It’s not like I’m not a healthy person.”
She didn’t mean anything by it, and I would’ve said the same thing: Why go to the doctor if you’re not sick? Isn’t this a bit excessive?
But it just got me thinking.
She is indeed a healthy person. Just like my friend who had a stillborn. Just like my coworker who had an ectopic pregnancy. Just like me who went through infertility and miscarriage. Just like anyone who is blindsided by cancer or mental illness or anything else that doesn’t happen to healthy people.
And it occurred to me: Most of us think we are so in control of our own lives, without even realizing it. Myself included.
At some point in our lives, there comes a time (or two) when we realize that we have no control over our own lives.
You know what I’m talking about: It’s that moment when you’re going through something difficult and others urge you to “give God control.”
But in reality, that moment is so difficult not because you have to figure out how to give up control, but because you begin to realize that you never had control in the first place.
Haven’t you ever wondered why those who have suffered so much also seem to be thankful for so much?
When something happens to make you realize that you don’t have control, you also realize that every good thing you’ve been given is not of your own doing, either. It’s a gift from God.
Take Action
Think about all of the plans you have this week, this month, and for your future. Are you taking into account the fact that God is really the one in control?
When you begin to boast about all of the things you have planned, pray that the Holy Spirit reminds you of the one who is really in control.
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