While God Is In Control

 

Since the election and while we're still waiting on conclusive results, people have been all over Facebook telling people not to fret because God is the one in control. Well, I want to talk about that topic for just a bit. While yes, His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways are past finding out, I do think that there is some cause for apprehension. I fully believe that everything that happens in life is either ordained by God (He made it happen) or allowed by God (He allows us to reap the consequences of our choices). 

Just because God is in control doesn't mean that Christians will be spared all trials and consequences of a nation that has ultimately turned from Him as a whole. Let's look at history. God was in control when He allowed the Israelites (His CHOSEN people) to be in bondage for 400 years. He was in control when He made them wander in the desert for 40 years because of unbelief and trust in Him until all those who had not trusted died off the scene with the exception of Joshua and Caleb. In other words, even the innocent were allowed to go through these things. 

Skip forward to New Testament times. Tell John the Baptist that God was in control when he had his head cut off. Tell Stephen who was stoned to death as Saul held the coats of them that murdered him. Tell the apostle Paul who was imprisoned, beaten and left for dead, shipwrecked, and ultimately martyred for the cause of Christ. Tell the apostle John who was dipped in boiling oil and exiled to the island of Patmos. Tell David Livingston, Jim Elliot, Ronni Bowers, and William Borden. 

Telling me to be calm because God is in control doesn't truly help the situation. I trust God's Will but fully understand that I am not exempt from all harm because of that trust. My prayer for years almost daily has been for God to not punish the righteous with the wicked. Some think that what is happening in our political world and all across the country will just usher in the rapture. Maybe so and I do believe that before the true tribulation period starts, I will be out of here. But, as I have expressed on this blog before, I am living proof of what a person can live through! Again, ask Paul and John! I fully believe that if socialism is ushered in to this country, it will be solely because the country as a whole has turned from God and His Word. I will also blame Christians who couldn't bring themselves to vote for a man with what they believe is low character. Yet, they chose a career politician who takes a stand straight against God's Word and who chose a communist running mate solely based on gender and skin color! At their first complaint when it gets bad, if I'm still here, I will laugh and say, "you made your own mess". 

Yes, God is in control always! But He allows free will and consequences to those free choices. 

Treading Water

 

When treading water you are doing what it takes to keep your head above water while not really moving forward. In other words, you're often doing what it takes to survive. Doing basic movements while gaining no ground in moving ahead. 

While treading water you can give your body a break from heavy physical exertion. However, you can only tread water so long before even this wears you out. At the worn out point a swimmer leans forward and floats (dead man's float) to give the legs and arms a break. 

Sometimes in life we can feel like we're treading water physically and mentally. We're just doing the basics to get through each day. This is ok but we must remember that while we're treading we are making no headway. We're only maintaining. 

I know very well what this is like. I felt like I had been treading water where my health is concerned for several years. A year ago I did something to move forward in correcting my health. Now I am on the mend and have knowledge to not be stuck treading water in my health anymore. 

I have also felt as though my husband and I have been treading water in life at home and at church for quite some time. Life has been a blur the past couple of years and we're tired. We have even had to do the dead man's float a few times. We finally took steps recently after a year of praying about what to do to make choices to move forward in a different direction. Now a lot of pressure and stress has been lifted. 

Sometimes treading water in life is absolutely necessary. Some days the bare essentials are all we can muster. With our minds consumed with the trials we're facing, our mental state is effected which in turn effects our physical state. So, it's ok during these times to tread or even float temporarily as we figure out what's next.