Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the LORD’s decree will prevail.     Proverbs 19:21 HCSB

The heart of a man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.    Proverbs 16:9 HCSB

Our lives are a lot like a movie being played out on a DVR. We have those moments where we want to pause and soak it all in. We have those troubled times when we just want to hit the fast-forward button and get safely through to the other side.

Of course, we all have those times when we want to hit the rewind button and do it over again. But the interesting thing is that we must understand the sovereignty of God. He controls all things. Ultimately, He has control over the remote or the controls on the DVR of life.

A couple of weeks ago, I was blessed to be able to have a very relaxing and enjoyable time with dear friends and family members at the beach. That was a good time to hit the play button. We were happy to let it play in slow motion to enjoy the time there.

I have suffered for years with migraines. I am happy to say that due to medication, they are not as debilitating as they once were. But when I get one, I am sometimes forced to lay still in a dark room until it subsides. The pause button is pressed. I used to wonder why I had to deal with them. Doctors have never been able to pinpoint a reason. I have come to realize, however, that maybe sometimes God just hits the pause button.

When I was working, I remember having so many things I needed to get done and then getting a migraine. It would be frustrating, but I would find myself having to go to the doctor to get a shot or if it was after hours going to the ER for a shot or sometimes an IV medication. Needless to say, these meds would put me down for the day. But on a positive note, I would awaken without a migraine.

I came to accept that there were just times when, for whatever reason, God decided it was time for me to pause my busy life. God hit the pause button. I came to accept that.

We are being told that we will see a rise in COVID-19, Influenza, and the RSV viruses. This means quarantines, downtime and you guessed it- the pause button.

We can plan. We can have a million things going on, but it’s God’s providence in our lives that will prevail. God’s plans for our lives are the ones that are going to come through. I’ve learned to trust in this because, over the years, I have come to understand that His plans are best for me. He knows what my future holds. I trust in Him.

When I have a really busy day planned and I worry that I can’t get it all done, I often pray for God to guard my time. I pray for Him to help me get it all done or at least what His will is for me to do that day. I trust in Him. If I am unavoidably detained, I trust that God has a good reason for it. Maybe my running late gets me out of the way of some crazy driver that is sure to cause an accident.

I don’t know what my future holds. I have come to realize that I don’t know a lot compared to my Lord and Savior who knows everything. That’s okay though, I trust in Him to guide me. I trust Him with the remote that controls my life. I trust in Him to hit the pause button when I need to take a break. I trust in Him to hit play when I need to forge ahead.

Most importantly I trust Him with my eternal soul. I have surrendered my life to Him. I have done my best to give Him control. There are still times when I foolishly think I have the remote, but then I give it over to Him. He has proven trustworthy time and time again.

Our lives are like movies that were recorded long before our parents even knew each other. Only God knows how the plot twists and when we need to fast forward, reverse, and pause. God knows when the movie will stop. He knows where we will spend eternity and play continually on the screen.

Surrender the remote, it’s a decision you won’t regret.

Have a great day!