The Seed Blog: The Lord of the Things

How many people here have things in your life that are bringing you a great deal of stress, anxiety or even depression, right now? {Health problems, Loved one with health problems, Relationship issues, Work issues, Finances, Mistreatment, Loneliness , Private thoughts of confusion, despair, unforgiveness, identity or gender confusion…}. You are definitely not alone. [See also Time Magazine and Fifty States of Anxiety]. Very often our constant, and sometimes hidden, causes of fear and anxiety keep us in a state of worry and unrest even when we don't realize it. Or, even worse, sometimes keeping people completely and consciously overwhelmed—a prisoner to their own thoughts and fears continually. How many in this room, or within the sound of my voice live secret lives of misery and anxiety, which dominate your thoughts? Which robs you of joy, and disrupts your every moment through the day? How many of you have ever had someone tell you to, “Just give it to God, and let it go!"? Very often Christians will truly say and attempt to, "Give it to God" and nothing changes. They seem to get no help, no relief—why? The answer to this question will teach us multitudes about our understanding and our relationship with Jesus Christ.

Let's take some time to Scripturally explore whether this is truly a Biblical practice, and why or why not it may be making a difference in your life. Understand that some people have very real chemical, physical, or traumatic reasons for anxiety and fear, but the majority of Christians today fall into the group we will discuss.
First question, "Is it even Biblical to take your situation and give it to God?": 1 Peter 5:7; Psalm 46:10; Matthew 11:28-30; Psalm 55:22. Absolutely it is Biblical! In reality, it would actually be wrong not to share with Him. Scriptures say repeatedly that it is God's will and desire for us to bring our worries and desires to Him. Just as we would want those close to us to share, it is an honor to have someone share their deepest burdens. One of the reasons Jesus allowed Himself to suffer as a Man was so that He could relate to our pain. That’s how much He desires that we bring our burdens to Him: Hebrews 2:17-18. So, if it is God's will and desire that we give Him our burdens to take care of, the next question is, "Why does it so often seem not to work?" The question in and of itself "Why doesn't it help when I give it to God?" First demands that we ask another, “Why?” “Why did you bring your problems to Him anyway?” What do you expect of Him? Most of us don't really, "Give our problems to the Lord" so that He can do what needs to be done in His wisdom and love. Most of us "give our problems to the Lord", so we can get what we want when it seems out of our reach. We simply want to control God's strength, and God's hand, until He serves us in the exact way we see fit. Or so that our pain and frustration can be taken away so that we can get on with our lives. And when our narrowly-focused solutions aren't followed, we start fretting about how it didn't work. When things don't go how we expected them, or don't happen in the time-table we've allotted, the effects are often devastating to us and our relationship to Christ. Much (most) of the anxiety we feel as Christians is due to our need to control and to have our way. Much anger and resentment towards God comes from a desire to control. Much lost faith and passion to follow God comes from desire to control. (Even when we know God is real). If, instead of trusting and going where God would take us, we constantly fight, complain and try to have our way, it changes how we talk to Him, wow we worship and sing to Him, and how we feel about Him. Gratitude is replaced by criticism and complaining. We don't even want to spend time with Him, because we didn't get what we wanted.
The entire concept of, "Giving it to God" has been misconstrued and abused by our modern, and improper view of who we are, and who He is. Let's determine what is not meant by, "Giving it to God". It does not mean using God to get what we want accomplished, our way. It does not mean, making a deal with God. It does not mean that, in any way, you are demanding or expecting to have things taken care of your way. We have become so programmed by the world's way of thinking, that we feel He owes us something. We forget He IS Adonai. Lord, Master. And er are here to do His will, not ours.
Not only do we forget He is the Master that we serve, but we also forget, or just don't believe that He is a much wiser Master than we are. That He absolutely wants the best for us. That He can see the bigger picture of what our real needs are. That He knows what He is doing—even if we don't like, agree, or want what it is right now: Isaiah 55:8-9.
"Giving it to God" is never about surrendering to Him to get what we want—it is an open invitation to His will in your life. It is your admission that you don't have the understanding to solve the problem, the ability to solve the problem, the desire or strength to solve the problem, or, sometimes, the righteousness and selflessness to do what would be required to solve the problem properly. It is not surrendering your problem to Him, it is surrendering you, your will, to Him. It is the point where you stop fighting and arguing to have things changed to suit you, and you actually begin to believe that He really is in control of the situation. (God's got this) Psalm 46:10: still. It is telling God that you trust Him enough to accept His will in the situation, even if you think the outcome might be what you dread. Just as Jesus Himself showed us how to do: Luke 22:41-42. You can only have this kind of trust if you really love Him. If you don't know and adore His character enough to put your pain in His hands—if you don't know Him well enough to believe that only good can come from Him in the end—how can you possible really love Him for Who He is? When you learn to trust Him that much, and to love Him that much; and you actually give your problems to Him, in confidence that His will can be done, the you begin to hold onto Him instead of holding onto those problems, instead of holding onto yourself and your own strength, instead of holding onto the pain, bitterness, conflict, and anger, instead of holding onto your desire for how it will all turn out. You trust where He is going to drive you that you can sit back and enjoy the ride with Him, instead of fighting about where He is going or trying to make Him turn.
You have not truly "Given it to God" until you have let go of the outcome. Until you have accepted His control, not yours. Until He is Adonai, and you are His servant. Until you are just going to love and trust Him no matter where it leads. Sometimes God may actually let you experience physical, mental or emotional crippling just so you will surrender to His will. Just so you will learn to trust Him. Just so you will learn to, "Give it to God." Not because He is bad, but because He is so good; because He loves us so much; because making our hearts right and our love real is more important than anything else in the world.
"Giving your problems to Christ", is not a pretty cliché that you can recite when you have no other answer. Did Abraham have any more of an idea where he was going when he said, "I give it to you, Lord?” Did Joseph suddenly become a free man again, while a slave in Egypt when he said, "I give it to you, Lord?" Did David suddenly stop being hunted and hated by the entire nation he was suppose to be ruling when he said, "I give it to you, Lord?" Did Paul get an easier, trouble-free life as a tired, hungry, tortured, imprisoned Apostle of Christ when he said, "I give it to you, Lord?" Did Jesus Himself get out of suffering and death when He surrendered His will and said, "I give it to you, Lord?" But did they all bring blessing and glory to God? Was everything they experienced for a greater purpose? Did they all grow greater in faith, favor and honor?
"Giving it to God" is a choice to totally surrender to God's control and provision. It is a choice that His love and direction—wherever they take you—are the most important thing to you in this world—even more important than your problem. It is the real faith that everything will be better than you could ever make it anyway when all is said and done. And that is the only place that you will ever find real peace. When you finally, really do this, then you will find His rest. Then you can have contentment to continue right where you are now, finding joy today, in the midst of it all. Then you will find that your thoughts and attitude towards Him are again in love and worship. Then you will want anything that He brings your way, knowing He is on your side, in your corner, and in love with you. Then you will prefer a hard time, to not being close to Him. If you are still anxious, mad, stressed, and despairing, you may say you have given it to God, but you have only fooled yourself. Let Him be God again—maybe for the first time. Call Him "Adonai, Master. Lord of the Things."