He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth. (Isa. 40:22)
THE CELLS DIVIDED RAPIDLY, gaining control of the tissues, killing them off bit by bit. There was nothing more the doctors could do besides offer him advice and recommend a variety of cutting-edge treatment facilities. He could control what medicines he used and what foods he ate, but ultimately he had no control over the cancer cells spreading throughout his thirty-three-year-old body. The only comfort he had was in the One he knew had complete control, the One who created him and knew every cell in his body before they had even formed in his mother’s womb.
God called that man home only a year after his diagnosis, but not once did his wife shake her fist at God or become embittered in her sorrow. She grieved, of course, but she did not complain. It wasn’t because she was strong, uncaring, or indifferent, but because she had complete faith in God’s control. She knew He understood her pain and would carry her and her children through.
Isaiah reminds us that we must choose to rest in God’s sovereignty, even when everything in us screams, “It’s not fair!” Our God understands our pain; He hears our every cry. Trusting in His sovereignty frees us from harmful emotions like worry, anxiety, and fear. Those emotions will only reign in our hearts when we forget who is in control.
Write a list of circumstances you need to surrender to God, releasing any worry once and for all.
Rebecca Aarup studies at Liberty University and enjoys leading small groups in her church and mentoring other women.