7 Jul 2010
Losing Control
Light my way
The myth the world tells us is that somehow we can be in control; that the job of life is to be in control, to be master of your own destiny.
The last 12 months have felt more out of control than any part of my life; it’s one things to say what faith is. It’s a different thing to trust when it feels like things are happening that just shouldn’t happen.
Isaiah 50 addresses the question of Trust and in particular where you get your view of the world:
10 Who among you fears the LORD
and obeys the word of his servant?
Let him who walks in the dark,
who has no light,
trust in the name of the LORD
and rely on his God.
Often we think of dark as bad. But this is saying, “if you’re walking in the dark, trust God”. It contrasts that with finding your own light:
11 But now, all you who light fires
and provide yourselves with flaming torches,
go, walk in the light of your fires
and of the torches you have set ablaze.
This is what you shall receive from my hand:
You will lie down in torment.
Isaiah is saying, Yes, you’re in the darkness and you can, if you want to, try to do something about it. You can light a flaming torch to show the way.
Basically the whole world sets itself up to tell you what strategies you can use to survive the darkness. This passage indicates that this is probably not the best long-term plan.
Faith, though, is learning to step into the darkness, trusting that He will be true to his word and guide you step by step.
One day I will have a chat with God about why some things happen, but in the meantime I will do my best to trust that he knows what he is doing.