A Trusting Heart
For better or worse, I routinely try to finish peoples’ sentences for them. I’d like to say it’s a sign that I’m listening well, but I’m sure people find it slightly annoying. At the end of the day, they’re the ones talking and trying to communicate their thoughts – not me.
I took a long walk the other day and began to consider this. I do a similar thing when it comes to God’s plan for my life. There will be a little thing that happens and just like that I’m trying to figure out where it’s going to lead to and who I’m going to meet along the way. Suddenly, in my mind’s eye, I’m 30 years down the road and I have it all “figured out.”
My goal here is certainly not to discourage dreaming, but I don’t think that’s what I’m practicing in these moments. No, what I’m trying to do is control the plan. To see the thirty-year plan and how it’ll all work out before saying yes. I try to complete God’s sentence for Him.
On my walk, it was conviction that hit me. I don’t allow myself to be surprised. Paul uses these words to describe what God has for the believer, “what no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).
This truly is great news, friend! It’s great because even the best ways that we try to fill in the blanks as we look ahead fall woefully short of the goodness God has for us. That’s truth number one. Secondly, when we try to control the plan of God we will handicap our ability to receive from Him.
I’m not saying we will limit the power of God. I am saying that when we operate out of the cloud of control, we effectively dull our receptors and limit the fullness of what we could be experiencing from the Lord. It’s a trusting heart that’s ripe for the touch of God.
God is after our hearts. Control is a way for us to claim to be following after God without fully trusting Him with our futures. If these words carry even a semblance of relevance for you, can I just say to both of us – let go. He has good plans for you and I.
There are plenty of reasons why we may desire to assume control over our futures, and they all funnel back to a key concern – is God really good? I have my reasons, as I’m sure you do too, why this question is challenging. Heartbreaks, broken dreams, seasons of uncertainty, lack of direction, just to name a few. All these are tools the enemy uses in an attempt to stack the argument against the goodness of God’s character.
It's through these things that we must cling to the Truth of Scripture. Where our perspective may be lacking, we must hold on to what is true. We can poke the bruise, delay the healing, and feel the pain over and over again. Or we can rejoice in the fact that even through the hurt, there’s healing and restoration.
Here’s the challenge, the fullness of His goodness lies behind the completeness of our surrender. Is there a part of your heart that’s keeping you from fully letting go in trust? The straightness of our paths are found through a wholehearted trust in the Lord (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Whatever’s come to mind in these few minutes, I want to encourage you to bring that to the Lord in prayer. Confess the areas you’d rather not let go of. Rejoice that He does in fact have something amazing for you. Let’s stop trying to complete His sentences, allow yourself to be surprised – His plans truly are greater than even our wildest dreams.
