How many times do we take control over difficult situations that confront us?
I expect the answer would be—many. After all, we are taught from an early age to take charge and be the boss! The problem with that philosophy is—what happens when we can’t?
More importantly, what happens when we shouldn’t? As a father and husband, I have faced many challenges in this arena. Husbands are supposed to protect their wives and children at all costs—to provide for them, to encourage them, to keep them from harm and be their leader.
We are wired to fix things—to come to the rescue—to listen to a problem, figure out a solution, and make it go away.
Many women, especially moms face similar challenges as they nurture and raise their children, doing their best to keep them from falling prey to harmful situations.
But sometimes when we jump in to solve a problem and rescue those we love, we may be falling short of God’s plan. In fact, before we jump in with both feet, we may need to ask ourselves if perhaps we are doing so because we don’t really trust God—it’s a fair question.
One profound truth in the universe is one that is not universally adopted—Jesus is Lord. Not only is He Lord of my life, He is Lord of all—whether we believe it or not. Accepting that Jesus is Lord has no bearing on if He is or is not Lord. The truth stands alone.
Before we are ever confronted with take-charge situations, it may be prudent to ask ourselves a few questions:
Thinking through these questions and the issues they address helps us to understand where and when we are to step up to the plate, and perhaps more importantly—when not to.