Big and Small: Who’s at the Helm?

“We are built for the valley, for the ordinary stuff we are in, and that is where we have to prove  our mettle.”.   — O. Chambers

Why is it harder to trust God in the small things, than the big sometimes? Big things like my daughter, Sofia’s diagnosis of Down syndrome or my mom having Alzheimer’s. Things where I know nothing is going to change the diagnoses. When you can’t do anything to change circumstances, it seems a bit easier to throw your hands up to God saying, “This is beyond me. I can’t do this, Lord. It’s in your hands.” But what about the smaller things? The everyday things. Being common doesn’t mean easy.

I have a theory. In the big things, I know I’m at the end of myself, which makes it easier to give them up to God. Not that there isn’t any pain or struggle, there is usually great cost. But my part is obvious. There is nothing I can do, beyond walking in obedience. It’s in the little things, where I believe I might still exude some control. There has to be something else I can do. Arrange a meeting to talk things out; do this and surely person A will be reasonable; mend fences; give more; talk it over with friends, someone’s bound to have an idea. It all adds up to a lot of movement, energy spent on a treadmill going nowhere.

The list of the ordinary goes on, building into a weight of immense proportion. Yet we often choose to carry it, slinging it over our shoulders like an unwieldy, uneven backpack with a broken strap. It’s in these things, where I sometimes feel like there has to be something I can do to make a difference, to change things. Deep down I know I can’t. I can’t control circumstances or the hearts and minds of those I or my children encounter. And what a scary place it would be, if I could.

Cast your cares, we’re told. In her book, Calm My Anxious Heart, Linda Dillow explains that the original Greek word for “cast,” means to hurl. Funny isn’t it? Hurl your anxieties at God. Hurl away. Just before the command to “hurl” is a verse that is key, yet often overlooked. Humble yourselves. First submit to God’s sovereignty, because He is the blessed controller. I’m dumbfounded how perfectly God moves, over and over again, in my life. Have to ask myself why I don’t immediately just hurl those little things at Him, too.

Who’s in control? Ultimately and in all things, God. Time to start hurling the little things and let go of the helm. He’s trying to steer, often with us gripping the wheel, fighting with Him for control. He sees beyond the horizon. He knows the way. It’s time to let go of the wheel. In all things.

“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.”   1 Peter 5:6-7

Photo courtesy of DeviantArt by Pale-Recluse