What Can’t God Have?

By Vonna Laue, Self-Employed, Ministry and Church Consultant

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I really like the Bethel Music and Jenn Johnson song Goodness of God. It speaks to my heart and challenges my faith. The music is catchy, and I find it easy to sing along.

However, I have been challenged as I have spoken with many audiences in the past year with one concept that is easy to sing and hard to live.

Part of the lyrics say:

With my life laid down, I’m surrendered now.

I give you everything.

Is that true?

Surrendering my professional life and economic stability is not too difficult for me. I’ve been blessed to accomplish a lot to this point – more than I ever dreamed I would do.

I’ve had plenty and honestly been spoiled. I certainly don’t want to lose my financial freedom and comfort. If it was taken away though, I could manage. We’re amid a second household downsizing and while it’s painful because I’m sentimental, it’s just stuff.

Our oldest daughter and her family are preparing to move to Paraguay as long-term missionaries. People ask me how long that will be. They are going with the idea of it being the rest of their lives.

I asked about the shipping costs to get their stuff there and her response was “We get to check four suitcases at no charge so that is what we’re taking.” Wow! A lesson to me on not being attached to things of this world.

Health is another area that many people take comfort in and wouldn’t want to change. I am thankful for my good health and the ability to exercise, have access to medical care, and live relatively pain-free.

Many around me have walked the journey of debilitating disease, terminal illness, chronic pain, and other maladies. I am not na?ve to say that I could continue praising God even if that became my story.

What about relationships? Life hasn’t been without struggles in this area and yet I have seen the Lord show up in some of the most amazing ways when there was a breakdown in a relationship, and He restored it.

I don’t want to suffer the deeply personal pain of broken or strained relationships, but I could probably do it if needed and still be able to remember that God is good.

How about if I became blind? I’ve seen so much and have beautiful memories.

What if I became deaf? Same thing. I have memories of the sound of rain on a roof, the sound of a horse galloping by the fence, the sound of worship music, and the sound of a loved one saying, “I love you.”

How about if my beloved spouse of 32 years died? I pray the Lord won’t allow that for many years to come, but even in that situation I would come through my grief knowing my husband was with the Lord and that the Lord cares deeply for me.

So maybe I truly mean it when I sing “I surrender everything.” No. I have realized this year what God can’t have in my life. ?

To be truly honest and transparent, I’m holding back my children and grandson.

I can’t imagine if one of our them was killed in a car accident. I also can’t imagine if one of them received a terminal diagnosis. My life is ok. Not theirs.

It brings me to tears to think about the possibility. It also brings me to tears to understand that I don’t trust the Lord enough to be able to surrender everything to Him truly.

I have found that facing this reality this year and being open and vulnerable about it has helped me to process and speak candidly with the Lord regarding this area. I’m still not sure I can honestly say I surrender even this to Him, but I’ve grown.

What is it for you? What are you not willing to let God have?

I gave my reasons that He could touch my career, finances, and health. Those may be the very things that you are not willing to surrender, and you probably have some very reasoned arguments about why they are off limits.

You’ve worked hard to get where you are. You have a lot more ahead of you that you want to accomplish. You can’t imagine life without ________.

I’m just not sure we can truly understand the depth of God’s love and the truth of Isaiah 55:8-9 (below) until we can hand over every part of our lives to his goodness.

For my thoughts?are not your thoughts, ????neither are your ways my ways,” declares the?Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, ????so are my ways higher than your ways ????and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (NIV)

It is appropriate to appreciate and be thankful for the many blessings the Lord has given us, but when any of those things becomes more important than the Lord who gave them, it gets in the way of our relationship and faith.

My challenge to you today is to spend a little time truly considering What God Can’t Have. Do it in light of 1 Peter 5:6 which says, “Humble yourselves, therefore under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.”

When that reflection time is difficult and you find the things on your list that He can’t touch, then lean into the promise of 1 Peter 5:7 that immediately follows, “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”