Psalm 33:10-11

“The Lord nullifies the counsel of the nations; He frustrates the plans of the peoples.  The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart from generation to generation.”

Proverbs 16:9

“The mind of a man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.”

Do I walk through my life foolishly thinking everything is dependent on my plans and the execution of them?  A good test for this is to examine my heart for anxiety and fear.  Those twin sins constantly keep watch to bother my soul at the most opportune time.  Anxiety and fear are indicators that I believe I have control, or that I believe I should have control.  See, I can say I believe in God’s sovereignty and His good and loving care over every area of my life.  But, the real test is whether that belief has penetrated deeply into my heart, soul and mind and transformed the way I actually live.  

I’ve been reading about Hudson Taylor lately.  He had an experience partway through his mission work that revolutionized his spiritual life.  He realized that, at the bottom of everything, Christ is All.  There is no reason to worry because if the work is His, He will provide for it and accomplish it.  Christ was his life and his work was to abide and receive the resources Christ freely provides.

New and old fears crop up from time to time.  But if God is at the bottom, really at the root of our very existence, and if His good purposes will win out in the end, what reason is there to fear or be anxious?  His work will prevail, and if it’s His work He will provide for its accomplishment.  Anxiety is a grave sin actually.  In being afraid for my child’s future, to take one example,  I am declaring myself to be a practical atheist, as if God didn’t exist, had no control, and didn’t care one whit about me. 

May I abide in Christ who is my all, and use everything He has freely given me to fight this fight of faith.