Remember Who is in Control
As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up and there were the Egyptians coming after them! The Israelites were terrified and cried out to the Lord for help. Exodus 14:10 CSB
Imagine what it would feel like to be an Israelite slave in Egypt. For years, you spend most of your days doing hard labor in the blistering heat and you repeatedly watch your people get mistreated by the Egyptians.
Then—suddenly—you hear the Pharaoh has agreed to let you leave. As you and the rest of the Israelites begin your journey out of Egypt, the Pharaoh changes his mind. You hear he’s sending hundreds of chariots to retrieve you—and there’s a big body of water blocking your route to freedom.
Think of the panic you might feel when your leader, Moses, tells you to be still.
The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still. Exodus 14:14 NIV
If you look at the end of the story, you’ll realize that if the Israelites had not done what Moses told them, they probably would have made the situation much worse—a lot of people could have been taken back into slavery or even died. But Moses understood that it was best to trust in God and not in his own knowledge or power.
Being still requires letting go of all control of a situation and trusting God to handle it. When we try to take control of a painful situation, our attempts to manipulate and force change are most likely going to cause more problems.
If the Israelites hadn’t let go of the situation, they wouldn’t have given God the opportunity to guide them through the Red Sea. It may feel uncomfortable to let go, and it may not make sense at the moment, but God knows better than we do.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. Isaiah 55:8 ESV
When we experience a painful situation, we might not understand why, but we can still trust that God knows what He’s doing. Although we may not have an opportunity to see all of His good purposes on this side of eternity, we know that all things work together according to His will.
Pray:
- Tell God you’re releasing all control of your situation.
- Ask for His will to preside over every aspect of your life.
