Getting ready for a possible long drive, I asked a mechanic friend to check the condition of my car. Among other things, he recommended that I have my tires replaced. And so I did. I purchased new tires and had them installed. But to my dismay, in less than twelve hours after they were installed somehow a metal object on the road punctured one of the new tires! And to add insult to injury, as I was loosening the nuts to remove the damaged tire and replace it with the spare tire, one of the bolts broke off! Now, not only do I have to go back to have the damaged tire repaired (or replaced), I also need to have the car repaired—to replace the broken bolt. Some days are like that!
This experience is a resounding reminder that there are things in this world that are simply beyond my control. As the book of James reminds me, it is foolish arrogance to presume that I hold my future in my own hands. It is worthwhile to quote James at length: “And now I have a word for you who brashly announce, ‘Today—at the latest, tomorrow—we’re off to such and such a city for the year. We’re going to start a business and make a lot of money.’ You don’t know the first thing about tomorrow. You’re nothing but a wisp of fog, catching a brief bit of sun before disappearing. Instead, make it a habit to say, ‘If the Master wills it and we’re still alive, we’ll do this or that.’ As it is, you are full of your grandiose selves. All such vaunting self-importance is evil.” (James 4.13–17 The Message)
I make my plans. Then life happens. And it teaches me to entrust my life to the Lord because I am not in control of everything. It’s not about not making plans. It’s not about having a fatalistic attitude. It’s not about simply saying the right words as a formula. Rather, it’s about adopting a mindset that acknowledges the limitations of my human existence, and the limitless wisdom and authority of the Lord. It’s about intentionally and consistently taking God’s will into account as I go through life. It is learning to adjust (without hesitation) my will and my plans to the will and purpose of the Lord—his agenda and his timetable—as he reveals them to me. It is learning to relinquish any notion that I am in charge of everything that will transpire in my life, and instead to turn all control over to the Lord.
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the LORD and turn away from evil.” (Proverbs 3.5–7 NLT) —Keith Y. Jainga