Read Proverbs 3:5-6

Ah, predicaments...life is full of them. Sometimes they are of our own making. Other times they mysteriously happen to us, apart from anything we caused. Occasionally they are comical and borderline crazy...then, on the other hand, they can be irritating and troublesome. One thing is for sure: they’re unexpected; we would never have guessed they would happen. Strangely, predicaments are unpredictable. And embarrassing. And confusing. And really weird.

We’ve all had similar experiences. The location and the details are different, of course, but the feelings are the same. How many times (with tongue in cheek) I’ve actually prayed, “Dear Lord, why are you doing this to me?”

Reflect again on Solomon’s familiar words:

Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

I’m comforted when I realize God is in sovereign control of all of life. He not only knows the times and the seasons; He is also Lord of the unexpected and the unpredictable—that’s why you can trust Him above and beyond how you see life—how you understand your lot. It’s safe to say that not only your times are in His hands, but your trials are too, even when you feel embarrassed or confused by what has transpired. Whether you’re on cloud nine, enjoying His blessings, or caught in the undertow of some complicated predicament, He hasn’t let you go.

Trust Him. Don’t rely on your feelings or emotions. Acknowledge that He is good and at work. Quit trying to fit all the pieces together—you can’t. He will show you the path to walk.

Devotional content taken from Good Morning, Lord...Can We Talk? by Charles R. Swindoll. Copyright © 2018. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a division of Tyndale House Ministries. All rights reserved.