Trusting God's Plan When Life Feels Out of Control and Unfair
Your Nightly Scripture
Evening Scripture
Psalm 73
Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.
But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from common human burdens; they are not plagued by human ills. Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence. From their callous hearts comes iniquity; their evil imaginations have no limits. They scoff, and speak with malice; with arrogance they threaten oppression. Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth. Therefore their people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance. They say, “How would God know? Does the Most High know anything?”
This is what the wicked are like— always free of care, they go on amassing wealth.
Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure and have washed my hands in innocence. All day long I have been afflicted, and every morning brings new punishments.
If I had spoken out like that, I would have betrayed your children. When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.
Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin. How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors! They are like a dream when one awakes; when you arise, Lord, you will despise them as fantasies.
When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you.
Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you. But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.
Evening Reflection
I worked for a company for 13 years and performed well in my role. There were never any performance issues, and if you asked colleagues or clients, they would tell you my work was stellar. Yet after 13 years of working, I was laid off from my job. Honestly, it did not make sense to me, but when it happened, the first thing the Holy Spirit whispered to my heart was, " Trust me. Over the next several months, God would reveal what he was doing and where he was leading. What initially seemed confusing or uncertain became clear as he unfolded his plan for my life.
This season of life has taught me two invaluable lessons. The first is that God can be trusted with your whole life. That sounds simple, but how many times have you been like Asaph in Psalm 73, wondering what is going on and why this is working for everyone else but not for me? This is not a lack of faith, but a legitimate question because we see life through a small lens. However, God sees the entire picture, and he knows not only what is best for you, but how to get you to the place he wants you to be. For that reason alone, you can trust him fully.
The second lesson I learned is that we often don’t truly trust God until we run out of options. It is easy to say you trust when the path forward is clear. However, when the way is cloudy, and your next steps are uncertain, that is when you have no choice but to trust. As scary as that can feel sometimes, you are in the right place, because all other options are gone, and all that is left is to trust God. It may not feel like it in the moment, but that is the best place to be in life. When you feel a little uncertain or shaky, then do what Asaph did.
"When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny." - Psalm 73:16-17
When you enter God’s sanctuary, your perspective shifts. Instead of your eyes focusing on what is happening around you, they focus on who is walking with you. It is there that you can remind yourself of God’s faithfulness in your life, which is displayed time and time again. It is that track record that gives you the confidence to know if he did it before, he will do it again. As you think through your day, begin to identify all the ways God showed up in your life. I strongly believe your heart will be drawn to thanksgiving and praise, which is the way we enter his sanctuary. When you get there, it will give you the confidence to remember you serve a God who can be trusted. Your trust is not based on the confusion that life can bring. Your trust is based on the certainty of a God who has promised he will be with you until the end.
Evening Prayer
Lord,
As I look back on the day, it's easy to focus on all the things that went wrong. However, in doing so, I might miss how your faithfulness shows up daily. Help me to end each day thinking of your love, your goodness, your kindness, and your faithfulness. Allow me to look for your hand in everything and help me to trust what you are doing in my life, even when I can’t see it, and my life doesn’t make sense. In those moments, draw me to the peace of your presence and the confidence that comes from resting in your arms. Renew my hope and trust, knowing that no matter what I see, you are still in control.
I pray all this in Jesus’ name.
Amen.
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Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
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He is the author of The Pursuit of Purpose, which helps readers understand how God leads them into his will, and the author of The Pursuit of Victory: How To Conquer Your Greatest Challenges and Win In Your Christian Life. Clarence is also committed to helping 10,000 people learn how to study the Bible and has released his first course, Bible Study Basics, to achieve that goal. To learn more about his ministry and resources, please visit clarencehaynes.com.
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