In mid-May, I had a great opportunity to spend several days in the Boundary Waters in northern Minnesota—no cell service, no motor boats, no cabins/beds/showers/etc. The weather ranged from the mid-80s, sunny and calm, to rain, lows in the 30s and enough wind to destroy a giant tarp and make canoeing nearly impossible. With all of that said, it was amazing.
Every time I go up to the Boundary Waters, I’m reminded of several things:
- It is great to unplug/not have cell service for days
- God’s creation is beautiful and amazing
- Meaningful conversations are important
- I’m not in control
I intellectually know I’m not in control, and yet, often the conveniences of our modern world can tempt me to believe otherwise. We can communicate with almost anyone in the world at a moments notice, we have these rectangular things in our pockets that can access the internet, allow us to be “productive” and make us available 24/7, we have access to food, transportation, climate-controlled shelter, medical care, etc - at times, it might be tempting to think we have more control than we really do. We need to constantly be reminded we are not in control, we don't have all authority, and we are not that big of a deal.
We see from the first words of the Bible, God created the heavens and the earth. God’s power, control, oversight, sovereignty, and authority are found all throughout the remaining pages of Scripture. For example:
During a big storm in the Boundary Waters, the wind was blowing, the rain was falling, lightning was striking, and trees were crashing around us. One of the guys I was with said, "I would be a little more worried right now if God wasn’t in control." God's complete rule and authority doesn’t guarantee our physical safety, yet we can find comfort in the fact that nothing happens outside of God’s control.
Veritas, you are not in control, and that is a good thing. Whether you are in a literal or figurative storm, God’s power and authority can comfort you. You can look to the goodness of God’s character and be reminded that nothing happens outside of His control. God is good, and he is in control - these truths can provide immense comfort to us in the midst of difficult situations. In a Desiring God article, Christina Fox sums it up like this:
And because God is our good, loving, and faithful Father, we can rest in his holy purposes for us. Even when we don’t understand what is happening, we can trust that God’s plan is good because he is good. He is making us holy and will use every circumstance to that end.
Veritas, we are not in control - yet we can take comfort in a good God who is!