What Does It Mean That God Is In Control?

“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” – Isaiah 41:10.

If you’re a Christian, I’m sure you have said at one time or another that “God is in control.” Even when the world seems out of control. God is still in control. But what does that mean exactly? If you lose your job, is God in control of that? How about if you need a parking space, or lost an earring? What about which parts of your yards get weeds. What about the number of stars in the sky? How we answer these questions determines what you really believe when you say that God is in control.

Scriptures addresses this issue: Hebrews 1:3 says, “The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command….” Another passage of scripture that addresses this issue is found in Colossians 1:15-17. “Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him.He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.”

The passage in Hebrews and Colossians tells us that at each moment, Jesus holds all things in the universe together. The reason the physical universe continues to exist at each moment in time is that He wills it to be so, and actively determines that it should be so. And that includes the small things: “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.” (Proverbs 16:33 ESV)

The difficult thing is not that God is in control but that we are not. We worry that our future depends upon how closely we can manage every detail. In our fear and worry we often see what we didn’t get rather than what we do get from God. We fail to fully understand we have a loving Father who designed His perfect plan for us. He loves us and has prepared good things for us.

Matthew 6:34 says, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the days is its own troubles.” Consider that God is in control today. Trust God for today. He will take care of tomorrow. God will give you strength for every challenge that comes your way, wisdom for every decision you make, and peace that surpasses all understanding.

Have faith in God today. Live for Him today. It is a daily choice. God’s solution for worry is to put Him in control of your life.

Discussion Questions:

What does God is in control mean to you?
What would we do differently this week if we knew God is in control?