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... Not in our hands

Super: Love! Effort! Victim!

Lots of you have special feelings for a certain person! Or some of you might apply yourselves in life to help others people. That is very commendable and necessary too. However this is often connected with many problems. We simply cannot change a lot of things; we do not have everything in our hands even if we try our hardest.

What could happen?

It might be the case that the person(s) who you love or who you care for do not want your love or your care or maybe just not in the way that you think.

... You are frustrated

What else could happen?

The emotional efforts which you surely invest (time, thoughts ...) can hit you quite hard if it goes wrong. By “going wrong” I mean that your boyfriend/girlfriend leaves you, for example (and for whichever reason) or that your effort for something is not successful. Then you are probably sad or are annoyed that you have given up so much time, strength, energy etc. It might be that you are not only sad but despaired and you keep giving yourself the blame because something has ended tragically.

... You are in despair!

What do I actually want to say?

In both cases, there is a big danger that you endanger yourself and your faith. There are many difficult situations in life which we have to face. I would like to prepare you for this. We cannot change everything, we can apply yourselves as well as possible and then we must leave everything else to God. I also find it difficult sometimes but it has helped me a lot. Trust in God completely that he will give you the strength and the right words at the right time but never forget that his will should happen.

"Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this." (My confirmation’s speech from Psalm 37.5)

And his will can sometimes look very different – it is not just you or I want it to be. At the end of the day, Jesus is not a vending machine where the wish is pushed in and the product pops out promptly at the bottom. Jesus should remain the number 1 in your life, whatever happens – even if the vending machine gives you something you don’t want. Here are a few nice sentences which are relevant and which I would like to give you.

The good Lord,
Who no one can see nor touch,
Blessed
The good Lord,
Who no one can see or touch,
Knows your possibilities,
Feels your limits,
Sees your tears,
Hears your cries.

The good Lord, who became a mortal,
Jesus Christ carries your burdens with you,
Goes with you on your journey
Loves you with your doubts,
Brings you to the goal.

The good Lord gives you his spirit,
You can trust and hope,
You can let go and pass on,
You can forgive and start anew,
You can renounce and be set free.

Be determined by the good of the Lord
And the people who are close to you.
Amen

Hermann Hörtling
(Devotions 2002 – ejw)