We put so much pressure on ourselves when God just wants us to be like little children. It is children who are dependent, who acknowledge their need, who see themselves as helpless and see their parents as the ones who know all, can fix all, can heal all, and who are in control. We need to recognize that this is the truth about God. He is all-knowing, can fix and heal anything, and is in control of everything.
Yet it's hard to understand how much He truly is in control because we tend to see our accomplishments as our own, not as coming from the hand of God. Since our accomplishments seem to depend on our own actions and efforts, it seems as though it is all up to us to get things done. It seems as though so much hinges on our own actions. It seems as though so much is in our control.
The truth is, though, that we are not in control, and thinking that we are will lead to stress and unneeded pressure in our lives. Sure, we have free will, and so we do have some control, but we have to remember that we are little children; we can do nothing without God, and nothing is beyond His intervention. We are only able to do the work we do or accomplish anything because He has given us the gifts necessary to do them and the graces to persevere.
We get stuck when we have a plan set in place, but it doesn't go our way, like when we have a long list of things to get done, but somehow our flow of getting through them gets interrupted by unforeseen things–maybe it's a friend or relative who needs assistance or an encounter with someone who needs you to listen to them. Whatever it is, our plan did not pan out how we thought it would, and this can bring stress, but it need not if we remember that God is in control. God allows whatever happens in every single moment. This does not mean that everything is according to His will, such as sinful acts, but it is a reminder that if He wanted to, He could stop things and prevent things from happening, just as Jesus stopped the winds and the waves when the disciples were caught in a storm at sea. Jesus tells us time and time again, "Do not be afraid; just have faith" (Mark 5:36) and "Take courage; it is I, do not be afraid" (Mark 6:50). Jesus is telling us that He is the one who is in control. He can bring people back from the dead. He has dominion over the winds and the waves and all the earth. Time is beyond Him.
To rest in His peace, we must be humble to recognize that He is in control and we are not. Breathe in humility; breathe out any pride that makes you think it is you who are in control. Take His hand, walk with Him as He leads you, and trust in Him.
