This morning, I was reading about yet another family who lost a child too soon. This time, a family lost their daughter in the recent flooding in Texas. A couple of weeks ago, an old friend from high school lost a daughter to cancer. Every time I turn around, someone is losing a child. Losing a loved one who is older is difficult, but losing a child is devastating. Other friends of ours have lost children over the past decade. I look at my own children and anxiety can overwhelm me. We have no control over what happens in life. People who try to gain full control of their lives are becoming exhausted in a futile attempt to control the uncontrollable. We can live with wisdom, make every attempt to use good judgment and live safely, but ultimately...control is entirely elusive.
This morning, I sent my daughter on a day-trip for teens in the local area where we live. She was excited as she packed her backpack with a lunch, sunscreen and a few dollars for snacks. She is going with a group of kids (and responsible adults?) on a trip that is meant to be fun.
What is she never returned?
I followed a high profile case from my hometown that involved a young boy that went missing. His father claims to have seen him, alive and well the morning of his disappearance. His mother sent him on a trip, surely expecting that he would return soon. He never came home. How many times per day, in America (and around the world), does this happen?
What would happen if THIS unthinkable thing happened to you? Maybe your child doesn't disappear in one day, but perhaps cancer comes to claim him/her too early? What control do you have in these trials?
Control. Why do we even try to maintain control? Attempts to control can lead to crippling anxiety. Attempts to control life diminish the quality of the life that we are so preciously given. Perhaps, control is not the answer. The answer is to TRUST...but trust what. Do we trust in money, or healthy foods, or safety protocol? All these things are good and to have them is wisdom. But, all these things may also fail. What or WHO do you trust?
I cannot control the outcome of my life. I cannot control the outcome of my day. At times, I cannot control the next 2 minutes of my life (with 3 busy children). Control is elusive, but trusting in God helps me to feel peace when life is out of control. I can trust that God is always good. I can trust that His plans for me are to prosper me and not to harm me (Jeremiah 29:11). I trust that, if my children have trust in Jesus, they too will have peace. I have to trust God to take care of the details of my life. Without trusting Him to take care of the things that cause me fear, I will only have worry. This is not the abundant life that God has planned for me.
I cannot control what happens next, but with trust in God, I can have peace in every circumstance.
Luke 12:26-28 (NLT)
Do Not Worry
…26"If then you cannot do even a very little thing, why do you worry about other matters? 27"Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 28"But if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you? You men of little faith!…
This morning, I sent my daughter on a day-trip for teens in the local area where we live. She was excited as she packed her backpack with a lunch, sunscreen and a few dollars for snacks. She is going with a group of kids (and responsible adults?) on a trip that is meant to be fun.
What is she never returned?
I followed a high profile case from my hometown that involved a young boy that went missing. His father claims to have seen him, alive and well the morning of his disappearance. His mother sent him on a trip, surely expecting that he would return soon. He never came home. How many times per day, in America (and around the world), does this happen?
What would happen if THIS unthinkable thing happened to you? Maybe your child doesn't disappear in one day, but perhaps cancer comes to claim him/her too early? What control do you have in these trials?
Control. Why do we even try to maintain control? Attempts to control can lead to crippling anxiety. Attempts to control life diminish the quality of the life that we are so preciously given. Perhaps, control is not the answer. The answer is to TRUST...but trust what. Do we trust in money, or healthy foods, or safety protocol? All these things are good and to have them is wisdom. But, all these things may also fail. What or WHO do you trust?
I cannot control the outcome of my life. I cannot control the outcome of my day. At times, I cannot control the next 2 minutes of my life (with 3 busy children). Control is elusive, but trusting in God helps me to feel peace when life is out of control. I can trust that God is always good. I can trust that His plans for me are to prosper me and not to harm me (Jeremiah 29:11). I trust that, if my children have trust in Jesus, they too will have peace. I have to trust God to take care of the details of my life. Without trusting Him to take care of the things that cause me fear, I will only have worry. This is not the abundant life that God has planned for me.
I cannot control what happens next, but with trust in God, I can have peace in every circumstance.
Luke 12:26-28 (NLT)
Do Not Worry
…26"If then you cannot do even a very little thing, why do you worry about other matters? 27"Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 28"But if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you? You men of little faith!…
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