“I know you’re able and I know you can.
Save through the fire with Your mighty hand
But even if you don’t
My hope is you alone.” MercyMe
The lyrics from MercyMe’s “Even If” are so powerful and speak to my heart. The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego which inspired the song tells of three young men who trusted God completely. The king had built a huge statue and ordered all his subjects to bow down to it or be thrown into a fiery furnace. These three chose not to obey the king. Instead they obeyed the One who was “able to deliver” them from the furnace knowing that “even if He does not” they would obey Him all the same (Daniel 3:17-18). What amazing trust they exhibited! Yet, they were still thrown into the furnace. God did not save them from it but chose instead to walk through it with them.
How many times do we pray about a situation and talk about how we need to “put it in God’s hands?” What a funny expression that is, like it wasn’t already in His hands in the first place. More accurately, we need to trust what God will do with the situation. So many times, I think I know the best way for a situation to be resolved. God is teaching me to trust what is already in His capable hands, that He will always do what is best, even when it is not the answer I want. One wise friend explained it to me as praying and waiting to watch His plan unfold.
Waiting. That is the hard part. And trusting. If I think back to past prayers and how they were answered, God has a proven track record. Years ago, when I was finishing my college degree, I was on the waiting list for the teaching credential program. Things were not turning out according to my plan. Then I heard of how the Christian school I had attended had some openings. Maybe this was the direction God had for me. So, my husband and I made plans to move back to our hometown. However, I did not get either open position. How could God not make a way for me to get into the credential program or into one of the open teaching positions? Okay, so it was not a life or death situation like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego faced, but it felt pretty serious at the time.
God’s answer to the prayer was not a definitive “no” like it seemed, but a “not yet.” He had a better plan, as He always does. Some months later, I learned that the teacher who had taken sixth grade was going to be moving due to her husband’s job transfer. I was offered the job and even had the benefit of working with her for a week and learning from her expertise. Plus, the other teacher who had been hired became a mentor to me. I would have been lost as to where to begin had I been hired from the start. But, God’s perfect timing provided the best path for me to start teaching and eventually earn my credential. I learned so many valuable lessons along the way.
It will probably always be hard to wait for God’s unfolding plan and His timing, but I am learning to trust that His way is best. He sees the big picture, and I don’t. My hope needs to be Him alone.
