ADVICE DAD NEVER GAVE YOU

Ralph Sorter

   When you are young you have a tendency to think that you know how to handle the world.  Some even think they know it all.  It didn’t take very long being on my own before I found out how naïve I was.  There are some things I learned the hard way that I didn’t have to.  If only I had listened to the advice of some mature, godly people in my life, I would have saved myself a lot of heartache.  This is one of those hard lessons.

   God is God and I am not.  Don’t take me wrong – I didn’t think that I could work miracles and walk on water.  But I used to think I could control my life and things around me.

   Do you realize how frustrating it can be when you think you can really control your life?  It’s frustrating because things come up every day that you have absolutely no control over.  Like getting fired from your job.  Your investment portfolio for retirement melts to nearly nothing.  The doctor announces you have cancer.  Your teenage daughter’s heart is broken because of inconsiderate words.

   When you’re frustrated because you can’t control things, you will soon have to deal with feelings of inadequacy and failure.  To try to compensate, you tighten your grip on those around you to make them conform to your demands.  A tighter grip rarely comforts…it usually chokes.

   It won’t be long and you figure out that there are things God controls, and that’s where it needs to stay…in God’s control.  Self-control is about exercising wise choices over the things that affect our spiritual walk.  And when there are no choices, then peace comes only when you release the control to God’s hands.  He’s the only one with the power to do anything about it, and He has the wisdom of all the ages to know how best to use those events for our good.

   So why fight?  Why resist?  Why continue to try to control?  The resting comes in knowing God is God and I am not.

A Message from HOPE’S

Marriage & Family Ministry

ADVICE DAD NEVER GAVE YOU

Ralph Sorter

   When you are young you have a tendency to think that you know how to handle the world.  Some even think they know it all.  It didn’t take very long being on my own before I found out how naïve I was.  There are some things I learned the hard way that I didn’t have to.  If only I had listened to the advice of some mature, godly people in my life, I would have saved myself a lot of heartache.  This is one of those hard lessons.

   God is God and I am not.  Don’t take me wrong – I didn’t think that I could work miracles and walk on water.  But I used to think I could control my life and things around me.

   Do you realize how frustrating it can be when you think you can really control your life?  It’s frustrating because things come up every day that you have absolutely no control over.  Like getting fired from your job.  Your investment portfolio for retirement melts to nearly nothing.  The doctor announces you have cancer.  Your teenage daughter’s heart is broken because of inconsiderate words.

   When you’re frustrated because you can’t control things, you will soon have to deal with feelings of inadequacy and failure.  To try to compensate, you tighten your grip on those around you to make them conform to your demands.  A tighter grip rarely comforts…it usually chokes.

   It won’t be long and you figure out that there are things God controls, and that’s where it needs to stay…in God’s control.  Self-control is about exercising wise choices over the things that affect our spiritual walk.  And when there are no choices, then peace comes only when you release the control to God’s hands.  He’s the only one with the power to do anything about it, and He has the wisdom of all the ages to know how best to use those events for our good.

   So why fight?  Why resist?  Why continue to try to control?  The resting comes in knowing God is God and I am not.

A Message from HOPE’S

Marriage & Family Ministry

ADVICE DAD NEVER GAVE YOU

Ralph Sorter

   When you are young you have a tendency to think that you know how to handle the world.  Some even think they know it all.  It didn’t take very long being on my own before I found out how naïve I was.  There are some things I learned the hard way that I didn’t have to.  If only I had listened to the advice of some mature, godly people in my life, I would have saved myself a lot of heartache.  This is one of those hard lessons.

   God is God and I am not.  Don’t take me wrong – I didn’t think that I could work miracles and walk on water.  But I used to think I could control my life and things around me.

   Do you realize how frustrating it can be when you think you can really control your life?  It’s frustrating because things come up every day that you have absolutely no control over.  Like getting fired from your job.  Your investment portfolio for retirement melts to nearly nothing.  The doctor announces you have cancer.  Your teenage daughter’s heart is broken because of inconsiderate words.

   When you’re frustrated because you can’t control things, you will soon have to deal with feelings of inadequacy and failure.  To try to compensate, you tighten your grip on those around you to make them conform to your demands.  A tighter grip rarely comforts…it usually chokes.

   It won’t be long and you figure out that there are things God controls, and that’s where it needs to stay…in God’s control.  Self-control is about exercising wise choices over the things that affect our spiritual walk.  And when there are no choices, then peace comes only when you release the control to God’s hands.  He’s the only one with the power to do anything about it, and He has the wisdom of all the ages to know how best to use those events for our good.

   So why fight?  Why resist?  Why continue to try to control?  The resting comes in knowing God is God and I am not.

A Message from HOPE’S

Marriage & Family Ministry