We often think we have to do everything ourselves. A problem arises – and we immediately try to find a solution. Of course, if we don’t take care of it, it will only get bigger and never go away! Right? No!
We have already remembered the servant of Elisha, who cries out facing the enemy’s superiority: “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” (2 Kings 6:15). We? Why does he think he has to do something?
Jehoshaphat, in the story of our verse, is quite different. He prays: “O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You” (2 Chronicles 20:12). He is actually saying: “God, we have no idea ourselves—so please take the helm!” And that’s what he does: He would fight Himself, not the people!
Of course, as believers, we know that God is already taking the helm and He is in control of everything. Yet, we often act as if God wasn’t there, as if we were responsible for everything, and as if we didn’t trust God to solve everything well. As always, when we want to tackle everything ourselves, things go wrong: we get scared. Hence, the encouragement of the Bible verse: “Don’t be afraid—hand the problem over to me!”[1]
We ought to live in the knowledge that the Lord sits on the throne and controls everything. Nothing ever gets out of His control; He is never surprised, and nothing upsets Him. God never has to act in haste, restlessness, or uncertainty.
Proverbs 16:9 is true: “A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.” Why anxiously look for a way out when the Lord is guiding our steps anyway? Why rush through all possible solutions in our heads when the Lord already has the solution ready?
“God is not the spare wheel in life, but He has the steering wheel firmly in His hand.”
A biblical example is when the son of the widow at Zarephath dies; she accuses Elijah of being responsible for that. An outrageous accusation: “You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance, and to kill my son!” (1 Kings 17:18). This situation could have caused a great deal of fear and could have prompted Elijah to talk his way out of it, to deny the guilt and defend himself. But he answers calmly: “Give me your son” (1 Kings 17:19). He lays him on his bed and prays to God.
In doing so, Elijah does the only right thing: instead of taking care of the situation and his reputation himself, he hands the matter over to God. He lives in the knowledge that He has everything under control anyway—and acts accordingly!
Incidentally, as always, the Lord Jesus is the perfect role model: “Who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously” (1 Peter 2:23). He knew that His Father would take care of the matter!
Once, a missionary urgently needed to cross a river, but unfortunately, it was flooded, and a boat was not available. This man also did the only right thing: he did not look for a solution himself but handed this difficulty over to God in prayer. Suddenly, a thick tree fell down and remained lying on both sides of the river in such a way that the missionary could use it as a bridge. He gratefully exclaimed: “The royal engineers of heaven have built a pontoon bridge across the river for the servant of God!”
One key to having less fear is surrendering everything to God. That’s not easy for us in general, is it? Do we perhaps unconsciously distrust God to solve the situation as well as we do? Or are we subconsciously worried that our Lord would leave us alone in our need? Whatever the reason, we can hand over the terrifying situation.
Charles Spurgeon reminds us: “If I take God at His word, then the fulfillment of His promise is not my business, but His, since He has given it.” We need this view – and then we need to surrender everything accordingly.
The Lord Jesus tells you today: “Don’t be afraid! I have everything under control. You don’t have to try to solve everything yourself. Hand it over to Me and be calm in the knowledge that ‘My God is taking care of it’!”
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Footnote:
[1] Nevertheless, it is good to point out that “handing everything over to the Lord” does not mean doing nothing. If, for example, my child is ill, I will (in the best case) first of all trustingly hand it over to the Lord and – if necessary – still take it to the doctor. The decisive factor is my inner attitude and attitude of trust. Do I become calm by handing it over and act in inner peace or do I place all my hope in the doctor treating me?
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