Skip to main content

Out of Control


It wasn’t necessarily hidden in the 24 hour news cycle, but it also didn’t get the super heightened attention.  The stories, however, did surface and for many it was quite disheartening to learn that plastic items that were supposedly destined to be recycled were often ending up in local landfills.

The reports further indicated that some of the countries that had previously been buying plastic items were no longer doing so.  For the most part, it was just pure economics for those countries.  But for some of the individuals who had been consistently and diligently putting plastic items in the recycling bins, doing their part to save the planet one plastic container at a time, the disturbing reality was that their noble efforts to recycle were not achieving guaranteed results.

The overarching reality is that we often cannot really obtain guaranteed results or outcomes.  We can do everything that we know is good and right but once it leaves our hands, we may not be able to control what comes next.

But we can know someone who can control what comes next:  “You made him lower than the angels for a little while.  You crowned him with glory and honor. You put all things under his control.  For when he put all things under his control, he left nothing outside of his control…”  (Heb 2:7-8)

And not only that, but we also have this assurance:  And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Rom 8:28)

I’m not suggesting that we should discontinue our recycling efforts but it is a good reminder that we can’t always control what comes after us even if we are doing the right thing.

Yet, we can know who really is in control…

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Not Just Idle Words

I own a 25 year old car.  The body might be falling apart but the engine runs great and it idles smoothly.  Such idling is good. Idling can also have to do with spending too much time doing nothing or being without purpose or being engaged in that which is pointless.  Such idling is not good. What if I were to tell you that I know of something that is the about as far as being without purpose as you can get?  Would you want it? Here is that something:  “They are not just idle words for you—they are your life. By them you will live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.”  ( Deut 32:47) Other versions of the Bible use some different words for that first phrase in the verse and such can be helpful in assessing how important the words really are: “Not meaningless words…”   “These are not just useless words…”   “No empty word for you…”   “Not unimportant words…”   “Not useless words…”   ...

Strengthen Your Core

Supposedly, it’s all about your core! That is, in today’s world of physical fitness, it’s all about strengthening your core.  Your core refers to the group of muscles that support your spine and pelvis, providing stability and enabling movement. It's not just your abs; it includes your back muscles, pelvic floor, and even your diaphragm. When your core is strong, it helps you maintain balance and stability. It can help prevent back injuries and help you maintain better posture. It can also help with athletic performance by allowing for more efficient movement and power transfer. And there are, of course, appropriate exercises to strengthen your core. But there is another kind of core, one that is known as the inner self. The inner self, as described in the Bible, refers to the spiritual and moral part of a person, distinct from the physical body or outer man. And while our physical bodies are important and we certainly feel every ache and pain resulting from injury or even aging, o...

Don't Go Knocking or Crossing

I’m sure you’ve heard the expression “knock on wood.”  You’ve probably also heard “keep your fingers crossed.”  “Knock on wood” is a common superstition or good luck charm for people to say in the hope of bringing good fortune or to ward off back luck.  Some will actually knock their knuckles on a piece of wood. “Keep your fingers crossed” is also a common superstition or good luck charm people say in the hope that something good will happen.  Some will physically cross their fingers and maybe even encourage you to do the same with them.   There’s sort of an equivalent in the Bible that predates both expressions: Jeremiah 7:4 says:  Do not trust in deceptive words and say, “This is the temple of the Lord , the temple of the Lord , the temple of the Lord !”  (Jer 7:4) At that time, people had evidently developed a false sense of security in the invincibility of Jerusalem because God dwelt in the temple in Jerusalem .  They used the expre...