Total Dependence

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

If you’ve been following my blog at all, then you can see that God has really been working on me. He continues to call me into true dependence on Him.

If you know me at all outside of this online world, you know I am fiercely independent. And normally if I ask you to do something, I have a particular way it should be done. I’m extremely opinionated and type A personality to a “T”. So, God really has his hands full when it comes to me.

I struggle with letting go of control of so many things. My prayer time consist, a lot of the time, of me giving back to God those things I thought I needed to pick back up yesterday. How exhausting! He whispers to me Matthew 11:30, “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Why do I continue to pick back up my baggage? Why do I continue to worry about the things I can’t control? Why do I not just let God take care of it all?

Matthew 6:31-34 says, “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your Heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

Jesus tells us right here not to worry. My granddaddy used to say that worrying was like sitting in a rocking chair, you’re moving, but you ain’t getting anywhere. When we worry, we put out a lot of effort. We sit back with a lot of “what if’s?” and try to come up with our own plan. That’s not what God has in mind. He wants us to bring those worries to Him. He wants us to turn those worries into prayer and praise.

Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Be anxious for nothing, but in prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” This has been one of my favorite verses for years, but only in the last few months have I really been putting it into practice. I have been doing a Beth Moore Bible study, and she describes that process as eating the seed and not sowing it. I was spending so much time quoting this verse, but I wasn’t applying it to my life. I wasn’t thanking God and giving it all to Him like I should. I pray that I don’t just consume the Word of God but that I apply it to my life.

I know that when I began applying this Scripture to my life and truly putting my trust in God completely, that things have began to change. In some areas, it has been so small that if I wasn’t looking, I could have missed it. In other areas it has been so huge and miraculous. God still works in mighty ways, but we have to get out of the way. Trust me, I know that’s not always easy.

But let me tell you something, if you will get out of the way, God will work in your life in amazing ways. He will take care of those needs. He will work in situations that you thought were impossible. He will heal those who are hurting, physically, mentally, and emotionally. Now, don’t get me wrong. God doesn’t always work the way we think it should be done. He’s not always going to fulfill that perfect picture in your mind, but trust me, brothers and sisters, He has something so much better for you!

I pray today that if you struggle like me, that you will give it all to God. I pray that you will put your full trust in your Savior for every area of your life. Remember Isaiah 55:8-9 which says, “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the LORD. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.'” His plan is so much better than ours. Trust Him for it today!