What are the Chances of That? Or: How to Let God Run Your Life

I am not in charge of virtually anything, despite my previous conviction to the contrary.  I am a mother of 2, a stepmother of 2, and a special educator of about 100.

I am well aware of my powerlessness.

I do, however, believe in free will.  I believe that we have the power of intention/will.  We can will/intend apart from God or with God.  As I’ve discovered first hand, the second choice is FAR more interesting, joyful, and fun. 

Willing with God means letting go of the need to control anything.  From the weather to the status of your bank account to your health, it’s all in God’s hands.

As Byron Katie teaches: How do you know you’re supposed to have something/be in a situation?  Because you have it.  Because you are in it.  You are always exactly where you are supposed to be with exactly what you’re supposed to have.  Maybe it feels like you’re last place in Mario Kart because everyone else got a magic bullet but you.  But even in the “worst” situation, you’re there for a reason.  Maybe there’s a lesson there for you, or something you can help someone else with.  Or maybe God’s doing all He can to get you to loosen your grip on the wheel and let Him drive.

McLife

This balance of free will and God’s guidance gets a bit tricky to explain.  I’d love to talk about it with you sometime.  But you’re all the way over there, and I’m here and I have few words to explain what I’ve experienced.  

Here’s what I do have: a sense of being guided through life to the extent that I allow myself to be guided.  If I’m willing, the benevolence of the divine/God guides my way better than I could ever do it myself.  If I resist and fight back, God lets me have it “my way”.  I have the McDonald’s jingle in my head right now and the quality of my life when I try to force my way is equivalent to the quality of whatever Mickey D’s call French fries after they’ve been sitting out for an hour. 

Their McFlurries aren’t half bad.  But I digress.

Point is, I’d much prefer the gourmet meal prepared for me by the I AM than McLife, which is about as good for your heart and well-being as 3 square meals of fast food daily.  Despite all our efforts to supersize it, our way IS NOT BETTER.

Even on the Macro-level

Note: This applies to humanity at large as well.  Again, you over there and me over here and I don’t want to write a 500 page book tonight.  But the gist is, I believe humanity is in the process of getting its Happy Meals wrested out of its hands and it really doesn’t yet see the appeal of fruits and veggies.  Yet, I promise that if you as an individual surrender to God, you will be lifted above it all to some degree.  In that place you can lift others up and be in a sort of “bubble” of grace during these very difficult times.  Think about the boy and his dad in “Life is Beautiful”. Your Heavenly Father will make something very difficult feel “light” if you let Him.  

The more you surrender, the more the miracles flow.  It’s quite fun, actually, watching most things just snap into place on your behalf.  This week was exhibit A of living life “in the flow.”  

Exhibit A1: Land of Motor Oil and Honey

My husband recently bought a new (to him) car.  The previous car was burning oil and its days were numbered.  The new car is a Dodge Hornet. (I know…Hornets don’t make honey, just let me have my joke, okay?).

Point is, we had this large jug of oil around that we no longer needed and I didn’t know what to do with it.  I thought (just thought…not really prayed) that I would love to give that extra gallon of oil to someone who could use it.

A couple days later, as I walk into my office, one coworker is asking another’s advice about their older car whose oil pressure light just came on.  It didn’t take long to figure out that their car had the same problem as my husband’s old one.  I shared my story and offered them the oil.  I happen to live about 1 mile from my job, so they were able to replenish their oil tank and drive home safely, with another ½ gallon for topping off over the next couple months until they could get a new ride.  

Exhibit A2: The Soccer Kit Miracle 

My stepson starts soccer tomorrow.  We didn’t have cleats or shin guards or soccer shorts.  I figured my husband (his dad) could take him to the soccer store after work, but also knew that my husband was beat from the week.  Again, a thought, not a prayer, that it would be nice if he didn’t have to.  I didn’t mind doing it, but sensed he’d rather be the one to take his son out if it was needed.

I was off with the stepkids, doing stepmom time since they were on spring break.  After a trip to the landfill (so much fun throwing stuff in dumpsters!) and then a picnic lunch and walk at the park, the kiddos did some independent time while I cleaned.  For some reason, I felt a pull to clean up the hall closet and the foyer.  

As I was cleaning out the hall closet, a pair of shinguards fell out.  I forgot that my oldest had shinguards from his one season of indoor soccer a year back.  Then, while I was taking the out of season snow boots to the shed, I spotted a pair of soccer cleats.  Someone had given them to us for our boys to grow into and use for baseball.  My oldest had already outgrown them and my youngest was still a couple years away from fitting them.  Plus, they preferred baseball cleats with the toe stud and the ankle support.  And so, the kindly given soccer cleats just sat there.

Until today.

”Hey bud.  Come here a minute.  I doubt these will fit, but it’s worth a try.”

It fit perfectly.  Like Soccerella’s rubber slipper.

The final piece: the shorts.  As “chance” would have it, I needed an extra item to get my stepdaughter’s sketchbook shipped overnight for free (thank you Amazon.  Sorry environment).  My youngest asked for an extra pair of shorts to round out his summer wardrobe.  There was a $15 pair of black athletic shorts that were perfect to get me to the $25 mark.  And so, we ordered them.  They’re a tad big for my youngest’s taste, but PERFECT for my stepson.  And perfect soccer shorts.

It Just Keeps Coming

These stories are not one-offs.  This stuff happens constantly.  And yet, every time, it brings me such joy to see how held we are—when we allow ourselves to be.

Where can you let go and let God today?  If things feel super rough right now, could it be that your Heavenly Father is simply bringing you to your knees so that He can prepare you a feast in the presence of your enemies?

You were never asked to do it alone.  In fact, you were asked NOT to.  Surrender, trust, and watch God work.  

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me, all the days of my life…