Mastery or Master
“Trust in the LORD with all your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Which one of the lines above represents your life?
We know the top one represents the almost perfect life with few if any disruptions or problems. Is that realistic to believe someone could actually live like that? I don’t think so! What we do not see are the diseases that they fight behind the scenes; the cancer, depression, eating disorders, etc. They pray and fight for their lives with prayer warriors surrounding and supporting them every minute of every day and they overcome all odds. Life looks so perfect as we view them; in fact, it looks so flawless that we might tend to feel a little resentful. We think to ourselves: ‘Does God have favorites?’
Of course, God has favorites! His list includes you, me, our family, friends—well, literally everyone who believes in Jesus Christ as the risen Savior. But that nagging question that remains deep in our heart: ‘Why do I experience so many problems and they don’t have these peaks and valleys.’
Over the years, I have learned that trying to make sense of this will not bring me peace. In general, we spend a great deal of time trying to understand and make sense of events. This gives us a short-lived and false sense of mastery or control of our lives. Our analytical minds get us into some serious trouble!
We all experience highs and lows and we can bounce back with strong spiritual resilience. Along the way, we can pull others up and give friends a push as needed. Personally, I think most Christians hang out on this second line.
If I had to pick one of the above that best represents me, it would be the bottom one. I have made some crazy decisions in my lifetime and truly made some serious messes. Even in the midst of this insanity, I knew that I was loved but I ignored it and was foolish and stubborn enough to do my own thing. Do I regret things I’ve done? Sometimes. But I also know that my past has shaped me into the person that I am today.
Please take another look at the picture above. On the right side (letter B) you will find that the line is straight. When we seek the Master instead of trying to master our lives, the path gets straight and we find peace. Let us all finish with peace.
Peace with Bethel Music
Father God, thank You for Your perfect love. Teach us to accept what we can’t possibly understand and to recognize those things early so we don’t waste time trying. Teach us to let You be the Master. AMEN.