God is in control…of what you “give” to Him
For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know Whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day. 2 Timothy 1:12
In today’s verse, Paul is talking about suffering because of the calling he was appointed to. He tells Timothy that some of his other friends were ashamed of him for being in prison. He says, “but I’m not ashamed because I know the One I believe in and I’m totally convinced that He will keep everything I have committed to Him until the day it is complete.” Notice that Paul is not worried, afraid or concerned that he is being detained from his mission. Even when other Christians were talking about his imprisonment and embarrassed by his suffering, Paul believes he is where God is keeping and caring for him. He isn’t complaining about being in prison. This is crazy! Paul is locked up for doing what he was called to do and it doesn’t even seem to phase him, in fact, he is persuaded that God is keeping him right in the middle of the mess.
Notice Paul doesn’t say “I’m not worried because God is in control of everything that happens in life.” He says I know God takes care of everything that I commit to Him. He is not a believer that God is in control of everything and whatever happens, happens because of God’s control. He is persuaded that everything that he gives to God to handle, God will take care of it. Paul never prays to ask God to get him out of prison, He just believes God has got him wherever he is because he has put his faith in trust in God’s hands.
This is the same thing for us today. God will get us through whatever we are going through if we simply trust Him. By committing every situation in life to His hands, He will see us through to the other side. Instead of praying for God to take us out of the crisis, a better prayer would be to ask for His presence all the way to the other side. God is not the reason for our suffering and circumstances. Things just happen. We are in a fallen world and sometimes life happens. The good news is that when we commit our issues to God and become fully persuaded that He will keep what we committed to Him, He will always give us the victory.
This is the reason why it is so important to get all our concerns and desires into God’s hands. When we take things to God in prayer, it “opens the door” so to speak for Him to come into the situation and work His miracles. Even as simple as committing each day to God in the mornings before you go out into this crazy world gives Him entrance to guide and protect. In this way, maybe we can avoid some of “life” from happening to us. God watches closely over His children but let’s face it sometimes we get out beyond where we should be and cannot clearly discern or “hear” His direction. Thank goodness we can turn around at any time, look to Him and cry out for help, and He comes rushing in to save us.
So today I want to encourage you when you notice things getting rough around you, consider the last time you spent really pressing into God giving Him “control” over all your life’s circumstances. Hand it all over today and watch the goodness of God come rushing in and “overcome” the oppression of the enemy.
Today’s scripture reading: 2 Timothy 1:8-12
The Daily Dose 