The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes. Proverbs 21:1 (NKJV)
Our lives, at times, certainly can seem like a river. Things pile up to a point of "over flowing" and life just doesn't stop for you to catch up. Before you know it, you're way behind. It's stressful not knowing when or how you're going to be able to get back to way things once were. Sometimes, just as things seem to be going better and you seem to be catching up, something else happens to send you raging down the river again. It's miserable to feel so out of control.
The Nelson Study Bible has great insight on this verse. It reads,
"A person can look at a river and think that it is following a random pattern, but the water is following the direction of God's hand... This world's apparent chaos is God's work." Did you catch that?
This world's apparent chaos is God's work. Wow, huh? What
appears to be chaos in your life is still God's work. That does
not mean that God has caused your chaos. That does
not mean that chaos, strife and terrible things that happen to you (or the world for that matter) are God's work. People still have free will, and the choices people make create those things. The Lord, however,
allows it, for reasons you may never understand, but He still remains in control
no matter what decisions you make, and
no matter how out of control things become. Through the troubles, surprises, and trials, the Lord is still in control. No matter how rough the river of your life looks right now, the Lord is still guiding it. There is a
purpose for your trials, and God is at work in
all of it.
Let this verse make the troubles in your life take on a whole new light. It's pointless to worry... ridiculous to complain. That's how God wants it… that's how He wants
you. Remember as your life
seemingly takes on a random pattern, that your "river of chaos" is following exactly in the direction of God's hands.
Pray:
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank You for working in my life. I'm sorry for all the times I've been overwhelmed by everything that has piled up around me and reacted by complaining about the apparent problems instead of praising the fact that You are in control of it all. Guide my chaos today Lord, and let me rest assured that everything that comes my way is by way of Your hand.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.
© 2004 Amy Verlennich
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