Yes, it pains me to admit, I am old enough to remember when the first Star Wars movie came out–plenty old enough. (I was a junior in high school.) One of the most memorable scenes in the movie was when young Luke Skywalker was being trained to use a powerful weapon, the lightsaber. He kept missing the targets that were flying at him. Becoming very frustrated, he asks his instructor, Obi Wan Kenobi, for help. The wise Obi Wan tells Luke to stop relying on his own skill and to “trust the Force.” The Force is this energy field that can be tapped into to perform feats far beyond one’s ability. With much hesitation, and a few failures, Luke finally is able to let go of his desire to control the lightsaber and allow the Force to aid him. After that, he never misses another target and becomes an expert with the lightsaber.

The above scene is a great illustration for how God works in our lives. When we don’t trust God, we are limited to our own earthly abilities. If we allow ourselves to trust Him, we create a space that allows Him to work through us to accomplish great things; things we could never have done on our own. Like Luke, our first step is to let go of our own desire to control and trust God. For many of us who have found our security and surety in being in control, it can be a difficult step to take. However, if we are ever to reach our full purpose and potential, we must learn to trust. When we do, we become a channel for God’s incredible power and love and nothing can stop us.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
on your own intelligence do not rely;
In all your ways be mindful of him,
and he will make straight your paths. – Proverbs 3:5-6

Originally posted 2014-05-02 06:00:19.