When I was a kid, I believed my Dad could do anything. He was a chemical engineer which meant nothing to me as a little kid except that he was good at fixing things. I thought he could fix anything. He built my first dresser, my first doll house (it was a kit, but was damaged so he had to fix and reconstruct many of the pieces as he went along). He took care of the car, repaired things around the house and rarely hired anyone to do anything. He had a good job and he worked hard but he and my mother also made a point to be wise with how they spent their money. I didn’t always have the most expensive new toy and we never drove new cars, but I rarely had to worry about having what I needed. I knew that my Dad had it under control.
One of the things my Dad was very good at was sharing his faith. For as long as I can remember he prayed with us and read the Bible to us each night. There were other stories too, Anne of Green Gables, Little House on the Prairie, the Secret Garden and made of stories or tales of he and my uncle’s childhood escapades. But there were always hugs, prayers and scripture. Yet, it took me until I was almost grown to realize that my Dad didn’t always have everything under control, but he trusted someone else who did.
I’m 30 years old and I feel as though I’m just finally getting a glimpse of the kind of trust my father had in God. I’ve been blessed in many ways, but I’ve also faced my share of disappointment and pain. There were times when I felt like my life was just spinning out of control. I wanted to be a little girl again, climb into my Daddy’s lap and know that he would take care of me. My dad is always there and I know he prays for his children and grandchildren daily. But I’ve learned that while I still depend on my earthly father in many ways (when my pipe bursts or the toilet breaks or I have questions about my faith), my heavenly father really does have everything under control.
It seems as though the news lately is so full of negativity. There is so much going on around me and truthfully, I feel totally out of control. I live in a country that is supposed to give its people a voice in government but yet I feel shut out and ignored by those I helped elect into office and whose salaries are paid by my tax dollars. For the first time in my life I feel as though I’m not sure I can take care of myself and my family because of the impingement of outside forces upon my life. But you know what? My Father has it under control. Because the truth is, I never really had control. I have been blessed enough to live in a nation where I have many choices. This gives me the illusion of control. But the reality is that every day I interact with a world that I have only a minor influence on, and certainly no control over. Does this mean I should stay silent? No! Does this mean that I shouldn’t work hard toward the causes I believe in? Certainly not! But it does mean I need to keep it all in perspective.
Just as when I was a child, trusting in God doesn’t mean that I will always get what I want or that bad things won’t ever happen. It just means that even in trial and difficulty I can have hope because I know my Father is here and he will take care of me.
Have hope. Our Father has it all under control.
