God is Not In Control

God is the Sovereign Ruler of His Universe (Psa 47:7-9) but to say He controls it, or that He is in control of us and all circumstances and situations is misleading. His authority is complete, there is no higher, He reigns Supreme, but we are commanded to submit to His authority and rule (James 4:7) and to come into alignment with His will and His Kingdom, on earth as it is in Heaven. (Matt 6:10) I believe it is better and more biblical to say "God is in charge". The enemy may have won a battle. Circumstances may have turned out bad for us. Our lives may be in chaos but God did not control and make those things happen. There are times our choices cause the suffering and we must repent and align ourselves with His will. Other times bad things happen to us, beyond our "control" (we don't control anything either) and in those times we must have faith and trust that "in all things God works for the good of those who love Him..." (Rom 8:28) We rest in His unfailing love. (Psa 107:15,21,31) We trust that when we are weak He is strong. (2 Cor 12:10) If God be for us who can be against us? (Rom 8:31) He is the faithful and Righteous Judge (Gen 18:25) who will dispense justice for the wronged, if not in this world, then in the one to come. (Rev 20:11-15)

If we live and think as if God controls everything it can lull us into a victim mentality. We can become passive bystanders rather than active participants in His Kingdom. What we do or don't do matters to God and the Kingdom we belong to. He has structured it to be so. We will rule and reign with Christ in eternity (2 Tim 2:11-13; Rev 22:5), but for now, on this side of Heaven, while God has allowed Satan a measure of authority (2 Cor 4:4), there are two Kingdoms in conflict, two rulers who desire your allegiance--Your Creator and your Adversary. Which one will you serve?

Joshua 24:15 But if you refuse to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.”