When discussing the plight of a hospitalized friend, the wife of Oswald Chambers wondered aloud, “I wonder what God is going to do.” Oswald’s reply was, “I don’t care what God does. It’s what God is that I care about.1David McCasland, Oswald Chambers: Abandoned to God: The Life Story of the Author of My Utmost for His Highest (Discovery House Publishers, 1993), 13.” Oh, that we could adopt such wisdom in our lives! How often do we advise God as to the best course of action in our prayers?
First, it’s foolish to think we have the slightest clue about how best to resolve any situation when we have such limited information of the grand scheme of everything. Second, God is going to do what God is going to do, and we should rejoice in that. (Isaiah 46:9-10; Psalm 115:3) After all, He possesses all wisdom, all knowledge, and all power and executes them all with an insatiable and inscrutable love for His children.
God is the perfect solution to every dilemma. He is the answer to any problem and the source of all that is good and holy. (James 1:17; Psalm 16:2) We spend much of our lives worrying about our health, wringing our hands over finances, and being upset over the wrongs done to us. Why worry about any of those things? God sees it all and is in control of every outcome. We need to trust that He will work out all things for our good. He promises to do so if we love Him. (Romans 8:28)
How much do you trust the Lord? If you understand His love for you, then you must realize we have nothing to fear. (Romans 8:31-39; 1 John 4:18) Life isn’t always going to go our way. We’ll all go through times of trials (John 16:33; James 1:2-4), face ridicule, and endure disappointment. Now imagine going through those same events but without the steadying hand of Christ helping you through. Everyone goes through life either on their own or with Jesus by their side. He is our refuge and our shelter. (Psalm 46:1; Psalm 91:1-2) I wouldn’t want to face this life alone.
We have confidence in what God is because of who He is. He is the God who heals (Exodus 15:26) and the God who provides (Genesis 22:14). He is our peace (Judges 6:24) and our shepherd (Psalm 23:1). Best of all, He is our righteousness (Jeremiah 33:16; 2 Corinthians 5:21). We have hope because He conquered death and offers us eternal life with Him. (1 Corinthians 15:54-57; John 11:25-26) Who or what else can provide all of that? Our hope is in Christ alone. (Acts 4:12; 1 Timothy 1:1)
There is no trial bigger than our God; there is no challenge too great. Because of this, we never have to worry about the storms in this life. God is faithful (1 Corinthians 1:9; 2 Timothy 2:13); He is our ever-present help in trouble, and He knows what we need even before we ask. (Psalm 46:1; Matthew 6:8) Instead of wasting time trying to figure out how to overcome whatever challenge you are facing, let it go. You can overcome nothing without Him. (John 15:5; Philippians 4:13) Trust in Him to be faithful regardless of the outcome. (Proverbs 3:5-6; Habakkuk 3:17-18) He is all you need, and He loves you more than you could ever know. (Psalm 73:25-26; Ephesians 3:16-19) Don’t worry about what God will do. Rest in what God is.
- 1David McCasland, Oswald Chambers: Abandoned to God: The Life Story of the Author of My Utmost for His Highest (Discovery House Publishers, 1993), 13. ↩︎