These are difficult and frightening times. The corona virus outbreak has turned our world upside down. People are afraid, very afraid. They are acting in bizarre and foolish ways; I mean, what’s with buying up all the toilet paper? Sure, I’ve read the articles where psychologists explain that this panic buying of toilet paper makes people feel that they are obtaining an essential product for which there is no substitute, and thus they are doing something that allows them to feel they are “in control” of the situation. Well, the psychologists may be able to explain why people are doing silly things, but that doesn’t make the behavior any less foolish or unreasonable. All it does is illustrate the underlying problem: There are going to be many things in your life that are beyond your control. The corona virus outbreak is an unpleasant reminder of this reality. The real problem is the fact that our attempts to gain control over the uncontrollable are typically foolish and completely useless; sort of like buying up gobs of toilet paper during a worldwide pandemic. This is where God comes in. He is the one that is really in control …of everything:
“Yours, LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the splendor and the majesty, for everything in the heavens and on earth belongs to you. Yours, LORD, is the kingdom, and you are exalted as head over all. Riches and honor come from you, and you are the ruler of everything. Power and might are in your hand, and it is in your hand to make great and to give strength to all.” 1 Chronicles 29:11-12
The idea that it is God and God alone who is in control of everything is actually simple to understand. Think of it this way: If there is a God (and there is!), and if God created everything (and He did!), then everything is under His control. All created things are subject to the to the will and power of God because all created things are the result of His will and power. As humans we can make some things and therefore, we can control some things. But not everything. And therein lies the problem. Thinking that we can control everything is unrealistic and impossible. To try to do so on our own is like thinking that buying gobs of toilet paper will allow us to control the corona virus. It just won’t work. But such a reality doesn’t leave us without a solution, it merely points out that it’s not going to be the toilet paper solution!
“Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me. So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and in difficulties, for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
The real solution is simple: we need to admit that we are often weak and powerless and turn to God as the only real source of gaining control over the uncontrollable.