WHEN LIFE MAKES NO SENSE AND SEEMS OUT OF CONTROL

"The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples.The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations." Psalm 33:10-11 ESV

What do you do when your world falls apart? When you lose a spouse? A job? A child? A friend? A dream? Do you feel like your life is under the control of people's decisions over you? Circumstances? Chance? Fate? The government? The courts? Your boss? Do you fear that decisions that you have made have irrevocably affected your future? Do you find yourself in a sea of regret from your past or looking ahead to a scary, dark, and uncertain future? Do voices in your mind or do people tell you that it is all up to you and that depresses and frightens you? How do we make sense of all these things? Do you feel defeated and discouraged about your present and your future?

All of these things have at one time or the other played in my mind these past nine months of my life. I lost my marriage, my ministry, my income, my support system, and finally my health last year. There were many moments where I felt on the brink of despair with feelings that my life was completely out of control and a ruled by nothing but outside forces. Many times it felt as if God had utterly abandoned me and left me to myself and to the control of others. Looking within and looking all around I could see absolutely no light. My grief was so deep and my brokenness of such magnitude that I thought I could not go on another day. My future seemed hopeless and all the tools I used to rely on seemed pathetically useless. All my inner strength, my survivoal instincts, my tenacious personality,my focus, my self discipline, my ahtletic delayed gratification all failed me. There were moments when all I could see was through the lens of my circumstances and emotions and I felt lost, broken, fearful, abandoned, helpless, powerless, and alone to a bleak future.

But, I want to tell you a secret that has sustained me and kept me going no matter what I see or feel. I have anchored my life in the nature of God; the character of God as revealed to me in the scriptures. I have grounded my life in the truth of God no matter what I see, think, or feel and it has made all the difference for me.

These are the truths of God that I repeatedly go back to and preach to myself over and over again to keep people, circumstances, my emotions, and life from determining reality for me. Jesus said that "if you know the truth, the truth shall set you free." (John 8:32).

1. The truth is that God is in control of my life, of all circumstances, all people, and that nothing and no one can thwart His purposes or act outside of his purposes.
No matter what decisions people are making, no matter what trouble comes my way, no matter what pain I may feel I will cling to Him and trust in His love, His sovereignty, and His wisdom. He is the rock to which my suffering heart must cling.

The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.(Proverbs 16:9)
Many are the plans in the mind of a man,but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand. (Proverbs 19:21)
No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the LORD. (Proverbs 21:30)
Who has spoken and it came to pass,unless the Lord has commanded it? (Lamentations 3:37)

2. Neither the willful, malicious decisions of other, the unintended mistakes of others, nor my own sinful decisions and failings can thwart God's purpose for me.No detail of my life is insignificant for your heavenly Father's attention. No circumstance is too big for Him to control it.

No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the LORD.(Proverbs 21:30)
I will rejoice in doing them good, and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness, with all my heart and all my soul. (Jeremiah 32:41)

3. God is invisibly arranging circumstances and human actions to accomplish His purposes for you.

He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. (Psalm 121:3-4)

4. No plan of God for you can be thwarted. God does as He pleases and ONLY as He pleases. All of His plans are perfect in love and wisdom.

Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.(Psalm 115:3)
I know that you can do all things,and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted(Job 42:2)
For the LORD of hosts has purposed,and who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, and who will turn it back. (Isaiah 14:27)
Also henceforth I am he; there is none who can deliver from my hand;I work, and who can turn it back?" (Isaiah 43:13)
Declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done,
saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose(Isaiah 46:10)
All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing,and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, "What have you done?" (Daniel 4:35)

5. God not only has a purpose and plan for you, He also has the power to carry out that plan.

For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.(Romans 8:29)
The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me(Psalm 138:8)
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope(Jeremiah 29:11)

6.God is never surprised, never caught off guard, never frustrated by unexpected developments. He is sovereign over both the good and bad in my life.

In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him(Ecclesiastes 7:14)
I form light and create darkness,I make well-being and create calamity,I am the LORD, who does all these things(Isaiah 45:7)

So dear reader, let these truths be the rock solid places to root your soul when the ground all around you is shaking. "When all around me gives sway, this is my hope and my stay." These are the ballast for your boat when the storms are raging. These are the weapons you can raise up against feelings, opinions, half truths, emotions, and lies about you, your life, your future, and God's unchanging love and unwavering purpose for you. These are what can empower you to glorify Him in all your life no matter what happens to you. These are the truths that you can fill your soul so that your circumstances, people, and your failings do not bring death to your soul and your hope; but instead letting God be God and letting His word transform you with life, faith, hope, courage, and joy as you look at Him, the loving, wise, sovereign one.

Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else (Isaiah 45:22)

Anchoring myself in His love, wisdom, and absolute sovereignty,

Pastor Bill