What if there is only so much you can do and then the rest is out of your hands?
That’s one of the hardest realities to face in life…you can only do what you can do. Sometimes we start thinking that if we were just a little smarter, faster, more educated, better connected, younger, richer, or whatever our life would look a lot different. Ever felt that way? Thinking that way can get you on a hamster wheel going nowhere. Well, I take that back it will take you in a downward spiral of guilt and self-loathing.
Every one of us wish we had a little more something, but we find we are powerless to get it.
I understand that for some people it’s true they are not powerless and there are still more things they can do to…say move out of mom’s basement. But the fact that you are taking time to read this is a good indicator that you are doing more than the average bear.
The reality for most of us is there is only so much we can do and it’s painful, because we have to wait and see how things will turn out. Sometimes you reach a point where you can’t do anything else. I was reminded of this truth from an ancient Hebrew proverb this week…
Proverbs 21:31 “The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord.”
A horse doesn’t get prepared on its own, someone has to take the time to get it ready…and in this case for battle. Someone had to pick the best breed of horses for battle, someone had to train the horse, someone had to learn to ride a horse, someone had to make the protective armor for the horse. I think you get the idea…there was a lot of preparation and people involved in that simple phrase “the horse is prepared.”
It’s our job to do everything possible to be prepared, but the proverb doesn’t end with…”and then you’ll have success.” Instead it says at the end of the day the outcome is in God’s hands. That makes me a little uneasy. There has to be more I can do. But this is the part where faith kicks in. I trust the results to God. Preparation is my responsibility and the results are God’s responsibility.
When you let that really soak in, it can bring a sense of peace. It reminds me of Jesus’ prayer, “…thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven…” You’ve done everything you know to do so in the end the result is whatever a good and loving God thinks is best in this moment in time.
If you don’t prepare you’ll never win, but even when you do prepare sometimes you still won’t win that day.
Remembering the result are up to God will keep you off the guilt wheel. If you really feel like you’ve prepared for whatever arena God has called you to step in, you’ll stop being so hard on yourself. God knows what’s best for us. Trust that! Sometimes the success we pray for the most and work so hard for would be the worst thing for us during this season of life. Maybe the success would wreck your marriage, or your kids would grow up to hate you. Remember delay is not the same thing as denial. Your story is never over. The best stories have twists and turns you never expected. Remember your story is still being written and God is the best story teller. Your story doesn’t end until you die.
Remembering the results are up to God will guard you from pride. If you take credit for the failures, you’ll also take credit for the successes. It’s the same cancer, just in a different form. You think you caused it, instead of remembering the outcomes belong to God. Plenty of people who prepare for the big day, don’t win that day, but that doesn’t mean they’re a failure. The story isn’t over yet. Never confuse the battle with the war.
So if you feel like you are at the end of your rope and don’t know what else to do. Trust in the fact that God is in control. If you are a person of faith, there will be lots of times you’ll have to walk by faith. Resting confidently in the fact that the results are in a good and loving God’s hands.
Preparation is my responsibility and the results are God’s responsibilities.
