“We need to get control of this virus.” Health officials have said this. Government officials have said it. Measures get implemented to try to take charge over where the virus spreads and how it spreads. Different opinions exist over the effectiveness of the measures, but one thing seems clear: we don’t have control the way we wish we did.

It is not just the virus that we lack control over.  Parents may try to control what type of people their kids turn out to be, but their control is limited. We think we have control of our finances and then a trial comes with unexpected costs. We can exercise and eat right and try to control our body’s health, but we still get sick. Our control of things is far more limited than we want to admit.

“Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).  Be still, and know that God is in control, and we aren’t. The Lord is the One who is over the waters and the mountains and who “lifts his voice, the earth melts” (v. 6). The Lord is the One who is far exalted over all the nations of the earth. “He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth” (v. 9). Be still, and know who is the Almighty. It is not us. The Lord is the One who has all power and authority.

In our pride we want to be in control of our lives and our future. It is humbling to admit we aren’t, and it would be a disaster if we were in control. Be still, and give up trying to control everything. Be still, keep praying, but don’t think you have to tell God what He ought to do. Be still, and trust that God knows what he is doing. God will be exalted. He reigns now and He will reign forever.

Even when the world seems crazy and chaotic and out of control, our soul can be still. We don’t need to live lives dominated by fear and worry. Violence and destruction abounds, yet we can be calm and at peace, because “The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress” (v. 11). It would do us well to spend less time thinking about out-of-control riots and spend more time thinking about how God is graciously in control. Remembering that God is powerful and present enables us to declare: “Therefore we will not fear” (v. 2).

If a group of people are together watching TV, the remote control becomes the prized possession. Most everybody wants to be the one who determines what is watched. We get frustrated if we’re watching something and all of a sudden the channel changes. Other times we think what is on is boring and we want it changed to something else.

In a way, we’re called to let God have the remote. Let God determine how the story of your life goes. It’ll probably have some surprising plot twists. But when your faith is in Christ, who died and rose again, you know the ending will be wonderful. Be still, and trust in God’s gracious, loving and wise control.