Place the Matter in God’s Hand

Jesus said, “He who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me” (Matthew 10:38). And also, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24). Paul also declared, “But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Galatians 6:14).

Many believers struggle long and hard to be obedient to the Lord, striving earnestly to live a holy life and to be pure. They may get to a place of nothingness — that place where no one on this earth can help — and they know that unless the Lord comes to change them, it cannot be done.

It is good to understand that Jesus himself was God in flesh, yet he needed the Father’s direction.
“Then Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son and shows Him all things that He Himself does … I can of myself do nothing’” (John 5:19-20, 30).

If Jesus needed help and direction with every step, how much more helpless are we without the same love and guidance from the Father? Jesus said our Father loved us and, therefore, he showed us “all things that he himself does.” If we are in Christ, and his Father is our Father, then we are also deeply loved. It is in these times of feeling abandoned that we become wholly dependent upon him.

Surrender your will and quit struggling and striving. Place the matter completely in God’s hands — he will take over. His Spirit will take you from death and raise you up into newness of life. This truth is the sole hope for those of you who have lost heart in your struggle to walk in obedience.