Our Life, His Hands

Our Life, His Hands 

by David Brenneman 

Life Principle 11: God assumes full responsibility for our needs when we obey Him. 

Do you really believe God is able and eager to meet all of your needs? Most people would say yes. But when difficulty comes, problems arise, and sorrow strikes, we often wonder where God is and how we can trust Him. The Lord is not only capable of meeting all of our needs, He also is able to satisfy the deepest desires of our hearts.

Some question this reasoning. They say, “I know God is capable of meeting my needs, but will He? Doesn’t He know I’m struggling?” The Lord knows the battle that’s ensuing around your life.

And while questions like these are asked by each one of us at some point, we need to learn a deeper principle, and that is how to focus on our faith when we’re under trial. God is committed to meeting our needs, but first He wants to know that we’re committed to living our lives for Him.

Faith requires complete trust in Him, even when we don’t understand why He’s allowed circumstances to unfold a certain way. Think of all the people in the Bible who trusted the Lord and gained a wondrous victory: Moses, David, Jeremiah, Elijah, the disciples, Mary, and many more. We should never obey Him merely to manipulate our situation. God knows our hearts. When we’re surrendered to Him, He sees our devotion and goes to work on our behalf.

You can count on God’s love, wisdom, power, and grace. He’s never failed you. He’s the God who cares, and He will provide what you need at just the right time. And when He does, it will be abundantly beyond all you imagined. 

- Dr. Charles Stanley Life Principles Study 

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.  For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.  But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer; and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are sharers of our comfort." 2 Corinthians 1:3-7.

I have ceased, long ago, to be amazed by the things that God brings up each day for me to write about.  Regardless of others personal thoughts regarding my content, the Spirit provides, I write.  That's just the way it is. 

My life took yet another turn yesterday.  I am back to being unemployed.  First time ever in all my life being let go before.  The circumstances don't matter at this point.  As I have said to others so I maintain.  God knows the truth. 

At some point there will be others who will need to understand this same path that I am on.  There will be others who will need comforting the way I am being comforted by the Spirit right now. 

It was most reassuring to see something this morning that said it's entirely possible to do absolutely nothing wrong and still lose.  Satan's schemes are to lie, cheat, kill and destroy.  To separate us from one another.  Cause divisions.  Cause us to ultimately doubt God and the Lord Jesus Christ. 

The temptation is very real to fall to my knees and cry in despair.  Yet that's not where my heart is at.  I have a peace that passes my understanding.  Were my actions that lead up to my termination sinful or wrong, I highly doubt that God, through His Spirit, would provide this.

The Spirit knows our hearts way more than we can imagine or think possible.

The Spirit conveys to Jesus and the Father our hurts, our sorrows and our griefs.   When those in our world don't understand, He always will. 

I know that our needs will be met. 

I know that in times gone by the faith history we have is one filled with Jesus always meeting our needs.  Providing in ways we often never saw coming.  

Gutters on the house is one of our all-time favorites. 

A storm came through Columbus, Ohio many decades ago when we actually lived in my hometown of Elyria.  The house in Columbus was my Wife's.  We had no idea who to contact to get these fixed because we were told that they had to be.

My Wife called a former neighbor down there to see if she knew of anyone who could help or to call around and whomever she found we would figure out how to pay. 

Weeks went by.  Heard nothing. 

She calls her former neighbor and is told that she thought we gave up on her looking for help and went ahead and had someone fix the gutters. New ones were on the house. 

She told her no.  We didn't do anything.  Asked her if she knew who did it.  She didn't know a lot other than their van said "Doing Awesome Jobs for an Awesome God".  She later learned they put the new gutters on the wrong house. 

God allowed what happened to remove me from my now former employer.  He always is looking out for our best interests.  His word says that He causes all things to work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose.  Not some things, all things.

I can do whatever God puts in front of me to be doing.  That's the part that's on me, my obedience.  The part that's on Him is keeping His Word, His promises while I obey.

I don't know what this next chapter in my life looks like.  I know my Shepherd had already prepared for it.  He said to not be anxious about tomorrow for tomorrow has enough trouble of its own. 

While troubles may last for the night, joy comes in the morning. 

Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you. 

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and spirit. Love your neighbor as yourself. 

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 your paths straight. 

I don't need to find a way when my Savior always, already, has one.  It's on me to be ready for whatever He reveals. 

The urge to try to defend myself is great.  However, the battle isn't mine to wage.  

My faith history also is replete with example after example of those who wronged me in God's eyes and how He took care of them in ways that I never thought possible.   The battle belongs to the Lord.  Every single time before history began until the end of eternity My. Savior always prevails. 

All New American Standard Bible Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation. A corporation not for profit.