“By faith [Abraham] went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land…For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.” Hebrews 11:9-10
It can be tempting to assume control of our own destiny. To determine our path ourselves, knowing where we want to go and how we want things to turn out. But how much better it is to let go and live by faith in the God who establishes our steps.
The truth is, we have no control over what happens. We can make decisions that affect the outcome of our life, but circumstances arise that are entirely out of our hands. We stand on shaky, uncertain ground.
But there is a God who holds all things together. One who has written our days. One who leads the blind, heals the broken, and restores years of pain and loss. He has plans for you. Plans for good and not for evil. Plans to give you a future and a hope. And He asks that you trust Him to be faithful in this.
When we choose to relinquish control, when we hold all things loosely except for Christ, we will be able to experience the life God has purposed for us. The story that He is writing, the “city” that He is designing and building for us. One with a solid foundation that will never fail us.
Psalm 127:1 says, “Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.” We may get impatient along the way. We might not understand why things just don’t seem to be working out. We could look around us, see something we want, and consider veering off the path God is leading us down. Building a house, a city, a future that is of our own choosing. But I pray that in those moments, we will recall who our God is. Our Father who is good and wise, who pours out immeasurable riches of grace, and who will withhold no truly good thing from us.
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6). “There is hope for your future, declares the LORD” (Jeremiah 31:17). Trust where God is leading you. Look forward to what He has in store. It may look entirely different from what you expected, but He will be faithful. He will strengthen you to meet each day, and you will taste and see His goodness. And looking back, you will be able to say, “The LORD has done great things for us, and we are glad” (Psalm 126:3).
In Pleasant Places 