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Due to Circumstances Beyond Our Control

Have you ever heard these announcements? "Due to circumstances beyond our control, our website will be down for a few days." "Due to circumstances beyond our control, this business is now closed." "Due to circumstances beyond our control, our address has changed."

Circumstances beyond our control dictate immediate action or rather a reaction to something unexpected. They are not scripted in our task list for the day. We didn't dream about them when we were growing up. We don't generally discuss their possibilities in our board meetings. Circumstances just happen.

Or have you heard someone say, "Well, under the circumstances . . . " And an appropriate response, "What are you doing under the circumstances?"

One promise that heralds our freedom from being in bondage to unwanted circumstances is found in Proverbs 15:15, "All the days of the desponding and afflicted are made evil by anxious thoughts and forebodings, but he who has a glad heart has a continual feast regardless of circumstances." [Amplified Version]

The year was 1983. A young couple who were farmers in West Texas had been hearing the Good News of the Gospel and learning they didn't have to live in defeat or under the circumstances anymore. That year, the scriptures came alive to them and their belief in God had grown exponentially. They realized He was bigger than what life deals out.

Being cotton farmers, their crops were their livelihood. Everyone who farmed in the Texas panhandle knew they were vulnerable to hail storms, extreme heat, no rain or, worst of all, low prices. But that year, the couple prayed over their crops with a knowing that they were not puppets to the whims of life's fate. They believed God held them and their crops in the palm of His hand.

When spring came so did the hail. Not once but twice - devastating hail storms on their tender young crops. They replanted each time.

Then, the days went by and no rain. Groups gathered to pray for rain but no rain came. Until one day. A faithful group was praying down at the Cotton Gin and when each returned to their fields, they had been watered from the ground up!

That year, the young farmer couple ended up with a bumper crop and good prices, and they knew Who to thank!

Throwing ourselves into the arms of a loving God to take care of us will never mean negative circumstances won't come our way. But, it does mean we'll feast on His goodness come rain or shine. It means we'll live in the constant joy of the Lord and all our needs will be met. It means we can relax in His provision for He cares for us.

Due to circumstances beyond our control? I will trust in Him.

Ellene Meece lives in Meeker, Colorado and works with her husband in their natural resource company while running her own online store, Grandma's Treasures Online.

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