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…