Our Security and Sufficiency is Found in the Lord

Metropolitan

January 14, 2021

Security in God’s Sovereign Hands

God is sovereign, and we can trust Him to lead us. When we don’t understand what’s happening or when we feel insecure, overwhelmed, or inadequate in what God has called each of us to do, we have nothing to worry about. It is all in the Lord’s hands.

John the Baptist was in the public eye long before Christ: he had numerous disciples and a lot of public attention. But soon people started going to Jesus more than they were going to John. One day, some of John’s people brought this to his attention, essentially saying, “Master, we’ve got a problem. Jesus is getting the big crowds now. You are losing your popularity” (see John 3:26).

But John basically says, “You don’t understand. We can’t receive anything unless it has come from God. I’m really happy that Jesus is receiving all this attention. Don’t you remember? I came to promote Him. This was the role I was given to play” (see John 3:28–30).

John the Baptist knew that God was the One who placed him where he was, and this knowledge gave him security. Even when John’s disciples joined Jesus, John was glad because he understood the larger picture (see John 1:35–37).

Our Source of Sufficiency

When we feel overwhelmed in the roles God has given us, we can rest in the Lord. Especially as believers, it is very common to face challenges and crises. We may not weep on the outside, but inside often we are trembling and thinking, I don’t know if I can do this!

Whether you think you are qualified or not, remember, it was God who placed you where you are. Therefore, you can be sure that God will give you the strength and ability to keep going.

We cannot afford to evaluate situations based only on ourselves—we must make conclusions based on God. That’s what David did when faced with the giant. He told Goliath, “You may look big, but I am not coming in my name; I am coming in the name of a God who makes me able” (1 Samuel 17:45, paraphrased).

Jonathan Edwards, a respected theologian from the 1700s, wrote in his work, Christian Love and It’s [sic] Fruit:
A truly humble man . . . is sensible of his natural distance from God; of his dependence on him; of the insufficiency of his own power and wisdom, and that it is by God’s power that he is upheld and provided for, and that he needs God’s wisdom to lead and guide him, and his might to enable him to do what he ought to do for him. (p. 65)

Know that He will continue to stand by you if you remain humble and your heart is with the Lord.

Take the First Step

Today, consider what tends to make you feel unsettled—in your work, in your relationships, in your church and in other parts of your life. Remind yourself that your sufficiency and security rest in God alone (see 2 Corinthians 3:4-6), and ask the Lord for His help to depend on Him.