“I want to write the story of my life according to all my assumptions. Therefore, it’s impossible to escape the truth that I don’t want to relinquish control to God. And then I make the most dangerous assumption of all: I could surely do all of this better than God.”- Lysa TerKeurst
“Yet you, LORD, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.”- Isaiah 64:8
As Lysa TerKeurst continues Chapter 2 of It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way, she observes that the more we try to grab hold of what’s falling down around us, the more we realize our utter lack of control. In addition, we want everything to pause and stop hurting us. But that doesn’t happen.
Hence, Ms. TerKeurst asserts, we face one of the most devastating realities of these dust times in our lives. We need:
- the world to temporarily stop spinning
- celebrations to cease long enough for us to process our grief
- people with expectations to stop contacting us
- our schedules to clear
Yet, no one gets that memo. Life goes on. Things we agreed to do when life was predictable and whole still await our attention. Because you can’t control either your plans or the people in your life. However, our approach to God presents a unique quandary. Lysa explains:
“No matter how well I follow the rules, do what’s right, and seek to obey God with my whole heart, I don’t control God. . . . Because I don’t want to control God. Until I do.”
In conclusion, Ms. TerKeurst relates her assumption that God defines best the way she defines best. Put another way, God should adopt our definition of good.
Today’s question: What Bible verses refocus you when you make the most dangerous assumption of all? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “When His timing seems questionable”
