Written by Dawn Rutan
The short book Be Still, by Cherie Hill, uses the terminology of “resignation” in talking about accepting God’s will. “The more resigned we are to God’s care, the less power our circumstances have over us. When we’re resigned to God’s care, we won’t be frightened by undesirable news, and we won’t be trying to constantly figure out the next step.” Although the ideas are good, the word “resigned” made me uncomfortable. John Ortberg wrote what I was thinking in The Me I Want to Be: “Resignation is a kind of halfway house between hope and despair. In resignation, I ratchet down my desire, trying to convince myself that what I wanted so badly isn’t a big deal.”
I don’t think God wants us to be resigned to His care, as if we have to settle for something that’s less than ideal. Paul wrote, “He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32 ESV). We have a heavenly Father who not only knows best, but provides exactly what we need. The problem is that our ideas of what’s best may conflict with God’s perfect knowledge, and then we may need to change our mindset. That may start with resignation, but it shouldn’t end there. As Ortberg pointed out, resignation implies a loss of hope, and I would include a loss of joy along with that.
Recently I’ve encountered several articles and Facebook posts by parents of children born with Down’s syndrome. Each one has made the point that they didn’t just resign themselves to having a special needs child, but they have taken great delight and joy in caring for a special person even though that meant a change in their dreams for the future. I’m sure there are parents who are living with resignation, but I can’t imagine what a joyless existence that would be.
[I’m not convinced that resignation letters should always bear that terminology either, though sometimes it may be appropriate to communicate “I’ve given up hope in this job and I’m moving on.”]
Trusting in God should never create a loss of hope. He is the only One who can give our lives eternal purpose even in the midst of troubling situations. He is the only One who knows every detail of our lives—from the number of days we’ll live to the very thoughts in our minds. And with that knowledge, He is the only One who has the power to use negative circumstances to create something good every time. He is the only One capable of fulfilling every promise He has made in Scripture, so we can hold onto those promises with faith and hope.
I don’t want to find myself thinking “Well, I guess I’ll trust God if I have to, but I wish there were some alternative.” I’m sure God isn’t impressed with that kind of faith either. It’s okay to be disappointed for a time, but we can’t live there. Paul admonished, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). It would be awfully hard to fulfill those commands if we’re only resigned to accepting what comes our way. It brings no glory to God to be a grudging recipient of something that He in His infinite wisdom has allowed to come about.
Let’s not be resigned, but entrust ourselves to God’s care, to the One who enfolds us in His arms. He is the God of hope and peace.
“This God—His way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; He is a shield for all those who take refuge in Him.” -2 Samuel 22:31 & Psalm 18:30
