Learning to Trust in His Time

Let’s take a trip back to Mayberry. In a very comedic episode of Andy Griffith we watch a visiting preacher come and tell the citizens of Mayberry to take a break from the rush of life and to relax. The rest of the episode continues with Andy, Barney, and Aunt Bea trying to enjoy their evening and relax. In this episode, we can see the struggle to just chill, and I feel like a lot of times we have this same struggle.

We Just Need to Chill

This year I learned that I’m a control freak. I never knew that I had such a problem with this until I started feeling like things were out of my control. As teenagers and adults, I think it’s very easy for us to feel overwhelmed. I vividly remember multiple occasions where I was getting stressed and excited because I didn’t have a plan or I didn’t know what was going to happen next, and I have a really good friend that would remind me to just chill. And at the time that was frustrating to hear, but I think we all need to learn that lesson.

Okay, so how do we do that? How do we learn to chill and relax?

I recently read a quote that read, “No amount of guilt can change the past, and no amount of anxiety can change the future.” I think Jesus says the same thing in Matthew 6:25-34.

Matthew 6:27 ESV says, “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” and verse 34 says, “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

I think Jesus is saying, “What’s the point?” Being anxious and stressed out doesn’t help us with anything. When we think about it, we honestly have little to no control over what happens in our life, and as the Ecclesiastes writer puts it, “Time and chance happen to all.” We just can’t plan out everything, no matter how much we want to.

Something that has always helped me to have this peace of mind is to remember that God is in control and that His timing is perfect. Sometimes we have our own agenda and we just hope that God works in our time, because we want answers and solutions right now. But God knows what He is doing and will make all things beautiful in His time.

Ecclesiastes 3:11a ESV says, “He has made everything beautiful in its time.”

This can require patience and trust, waiting to know that everything will work out like it needs to even if we don’t see it right now.

Psalm 27:14 ESV, “Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!”

I want to encourage us all to chill and to relax because God’s got this, and as it says in a hymn I’m sure we are all familiar with, “Lord, please show me every day; As you’re teaching me your way, that you do just what you say, in your time.” Trust in God’s perfect timing and everything will work out just like it needs to!

In Christian love,

Julianna