Beyond Your Control

Out-of-Control

No matter how well you prepare, no matter how much you know, no matter how many friends you have, and no matter where you may be, there will come a time in your life when a situation arises about which you can do nothing. It is one of the most frustrating feelings in the world. If you have a child who has wandered away from the Lord, you know what I mean. If you have ever had major health problems, you know this feeling well. In fact, life is full of these kinds of challenges. We just do not like to think about them because it reminds us of how little control we often have. 

When Jehoshaphat was king of Judah, Moab and Ammon came against Judah (2 Chr. 20:1-2). There was nothing Jehoshaphat could do. Judah did not have the means to fight off such an attack. But “Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah” (2 Chr. 20:3). He called on all of Judah to pray to the LORD for help (2 Chr. 20:4), and he set the example personally, pleading with God to help them (2 Chr. 20:5-11) and acknowledging his own helplessness, praying, “O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You” (2 Chr. 20:12). The LORD’s response proved swift and sure, promising that the LORD would come to their aid (2 Chr. 20:13-17). Even before the battle–in which Judah would play no part–Jehosphat and his people worshiped the LORD, giving thanks for His care (2 Chr. 20:18-19), offering the simple watchword, “Believe in the LORD your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper” (2 Chr. 20:20). While the people of Judah obeyed and worshiped, the LORD provided victory over their enemies (2 Chr. 20:21-24) and many reasons for His people to rejoice (2 Chr. 20:25-30).

While we have no promise of victory over every difficult circumstance in life, we can rest on the promise of victory all the same (1 Jn. 5:4). There will be some battles in life over which you have no control, but that does not mean that you need approach them with hopelessness. To the contrary, when you align your life with God, you have every reason to hope. “Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the LORD is with you” (2 Chr. 20:17).

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