He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.—Colossians 1:15-17

When we face daunting odds, we want to believe we’ll emerge unscathed and victorious on the other side of our battles. “You’ve got this!” we tell one another with an encouraging pat on the back. And we want to believe that, even as Christians. But the truth is, when we take control, we screw things up. So step aside, and repeat after me: God has this, whatever this is. 

It’s in our nature to assert control over our circumstances. Maybe part of that derives from the fact we are hardwired to have dominion over the earth. But even if we believe we alone fully understand the situation we’re facing, we remain shortsighted and are committed primarily to our self-interests.

In His sovereignty, God sees beyond our finite field of vision. Though He stands ready to grant us the desires of our hearts, He is most concerned with His glory and our good, knowing our desires may conflict with both. 

Trouble comes when we rely on our own devices in the belief we’ve “got this.” God had promised Abraham and Sarah an heir. Rather than trust His timing, they took matters into their own hands. Abraham slept with Sarah’s servant, Hagar, to help God along, as if He needs anything. The birth of their son Ishmael gave rise to a world of trouble.

King Saul brought judgment on himself by visiting a medium instead of waiting on the Lord. King Rehoboam rejected godly advice and went with the counsel of his arrogant young friends, and the kingdom was divided as a result.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts; neither are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.”—Isaiah 55:8-9

It comes down to a battle of wills: ours vs. God’s. We want what we want. But there’s an even deeper root cause, and that is faith. We trust ourselves because we feel as if we know ourselves. But in trusting God, we enter into the mysterious. It can seem hard to trust a God whose purposes may not align with our own. 

. . . and in Him all things hold together.

Trust your situation to the One who holds all things together. Spend time in HIs word, and ask Him to give you the mind and attitude of Christ. Do not trust your own heart, which is deceitful and wicked, but choose to trust His, which is full of love and grace. 

And the next time someone tells you, “You’ve got this,” simply respond, “I don’t, but I choose to trust the One who does.”