Who else loves to be in control? We like to have some sort of control over situations that occur in our lives. Whether those situations be protecting our children, protecting ourselves, or protecting our homes; we try to hold on as tightly as we can to prevent harm, danger, sickness or disaster. We tend to maintain a vice-grip on our lives and the lives of those around us for fear of something bad happening.
But what would happen if we did let go? What if we would relinquish all control and fear over to God and believe He is our protector and provider? When we come to the realization that we are in His care and He is watching over every area of our lives, freedom will envelop us and peace will flood our hearts and minds.
The book of Psalms has much to say about God’s protective power. Many times I have turned to Psalms 91 to help calm my anxious mind. It is a beautiful reminder of God’s divine protection over our lives. We can let go and trust in God’s plan for our lives and our future because we are His children and He has a good future for us.
I especially like to read Psalms 91 in the Amplified Version. It is as follows:
Security For the One Who Trusts in the Lord
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
Will remain secure and rest in the shadow of the Almighty [whose power no enemy can withstand].
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
My God, in whom I trust [with great confidence, and on whom I rely]!”
For He will save you from the trap of the fowler,
And from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you and completely protect you with His pinions,
And under His wings you will find refuge;
His faithfulness is a shield and a wall.
You will not be afraid of the terror of night,
Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
Nor of the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
Nor of the destruction (sudden death) that lays waste at noon.
A thousand may fall at your side
And ten thousand at your right hand,
But danger will not come near you.
You will only [be a spectator as you] look on with your eyes
And witness the [divine] repayment of the wicked [as you watch safely from the shelter of the Most High].
Because you have made the Lord, [who is] my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
No evil will befall you,
Nor will any plague come near your tent.
For He will command His angels in regard to you,
To protect and defend and guard you in all your ways [of obedience and service].
They will lift you up in their hands,
So that you do not [even] strike your foot against a stone.
You will tread upon the lion and cobra;
The young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.
“Because he set his love on Me, therefore I will save him;
I will set him [securely] on high, because he knows My name [he confidently trusts and relies on Me, knowing I will never abandon him, no, never].
“He will call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and honor him.
“With a long life I will satisfy him
And I will let him see My salvation.”
We can have confidence in our deepest hearts that God is our Protector, our Refuge, and our Strong Tower who sends angel armies by our side. We can rest in God’s shelter and be at peace without anxiety and fear weighing on our hearts and minds.
Why do we Still Want Control?
We like to believe that we completely trust God and give Him all our problems, but do we really? As soon as trials or hardships cause fear and anxiety to rise up within us, we find ourselves trying to control the outcome of our situations. We don’t think God will come through for us or answer our prayers the way we are hoping for them to be answered. As a result, we begin to take matters into our own hands causing ourselves much grief. Why is this?
Do you want to know the bottom line truth? We do not intimately know the true character of God. we are not acquainted with who He says He is. We can say we trust God, but we can only trust Him with so much until we begin to become uncomfortable and take things into our own hands.
We need to learn to relinquish the control back over to God. But how do we do this? We do this by getting into the Word of God and learning about who God is and how much He loves us.
He isn’t sitting up in heaven waiting to make our lives miserable. He is wanting us to know Him….to have an intimate relationship with Him. Oh how His heart aches for us to come to Him as little children.
12 Attributes of God’s Charater
Below I compiled a lists of attributes about God’s character to help you gain a deeper understanding of who God is. Read them and begin to apply each verse over your life.
God is Love. God loves you more than you will ever know. In spite of your weakness, in spite of your past mistakes, God loves you. Romans 5:8 says: “But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
God is Good. We can come to God and trust Him because we know without a shadow of a doubt that He is good. Psalm 145:9 says: “The Lord is good to everyone. He showers compassion on all His creation.”
God is Holy. We often forget the holiness of the Father. His name is the greatest and most powerful name there is. Isaiah 6:3 says: “They were calling out to each other, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies! The whole earth is filled with His glory!”
God is Merciful. We don’t deserve the blessings of God, but in His great mercy, we will never have to face His wrath because we belong to Him. Ephesians 2:4-5 says: “But God is so rich in mercy, and He loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)”
God is Faithful. God will never leave you. He is always by your side sticking closer than a brother. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says: “….and God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand.”
God is a Strong Tower. We can rest assured with the knowledge that God is our protector and strength. Proverbs 18:10 says: “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the godly run to Him and are safe.”
God is Unchanging. The same God that created this world and performed miracles on earth, is the same God of today. He does not change. Hebrews 13:8 says: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” James 1:17 says: “Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens, He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.”
God is Powerful. Nobody is as powerful as our God! He can speak a word, and it is done. Hebrews 1:3 says: “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.”
God is Patient. We mess up so much and fall short of the Glory of God, but God is patient with us and establishing His plans and purposes in our lives. 2 Peter 3:9 says: “The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
God is our Provider. He is Jehovah Jireh, my provider. He will supply all of our needs. Philippians 4:19 says: “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”
God is our Refuge. God is a shelter that I can run and take refuge in to stay safe from the storms of life. Psalm 46:1 says: “God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.”
God is a Promise Keeper. God always keeps His promises. If His said it, He will do it. Numbers 23:19 says: “God is not a man, so He does not lie. He is not human, so He does not change His mind. Has He ever spoken and failed to act? Has He ever promised and not carried it through?’
So What Have We Learned?
So what have we learned about God? He is a loving, good, holy, merciful, faithful Father who is unchanging, patient, powerful, a refuge, and a provider who is unchanging and who keeps His promises. Wow!
Conclusion
Life is not always easy and we will face hardships and trials along the way. But if we can get to know who our Father is, we will have less struggle giving up control and trusting Him to see us through. He knows His plan and purpose for each and every one of us. All we need to do is learn to lean into Him even when it feels like He is a million miles away.
Giving up control is not easy, but we will never find true peace until we can give everything including our hopes, our dreams, our futures, our families, and our health back over to God.
Get to know the One who made the stars to shine and the birds to sing. Fall into the arms of the loving Savior who died for you and learn to dance with Him. Find freedom in Christ by letting go. In this, you will find joy and sing once again.
Find Joy In Today 
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