Peace activist, Buddhist monk, and author Thich Nhat Hanh notably stated: "People have a hard time letting go of their suffering. Out of a fear of the unknown, they prefer suffering that is familiar." In most of us lives a fear of what the future holds. When presented with the trials of life, the carnal mind easily becomes caught up in "what ifs." What if this medical issue gets worse? What if the car will not start? What if we cannot pay the bills this month? What if—? The idle mind will go to great lengths to distract us from the weightier spiritual things that we should be focused on.

The Bible has no shortage of stories about fear, worry, suffering, and the frustration caused by resisting God's plan for us. We often attempt to "take the reins" and steer the path of our lives to avoid potential suffering and death. We can think of it as a natural, though carnal, response to control as much of our lives as possible. No one likes to be in pain or struggle with challenges that only amplify with time.

Those who suffer from anxiety disorders know all too well the struggle with the illusion of maintaining control. Total control over the events and experiences of our lives is just that: an illusion. The delusion of control may temporarily make us feel secure in believing we can predict the outcome of a situation, but ultimately, it only creates internal tension between what we expect to happen and the actual outcome of our choices. We often miss out on living life to the fullest while trying to prevent frightening events from happening in our lives.

But only God knows our future. In Proverbs 16:9 (English Standard Version), Solomon writes: "The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps." We constantly make plans each day about activities we need to take part in, goals we need to accomplish, and how we want to handle our interactions with one another. We certainly have influence over our lives, but in the end, God the Father directs our paths.

The apostle James speaks of a similar situation:

Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit"; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that." (James 4:13-15)

We cannot predict the future; we cannot truly know all the potential outcomes of our daily choices. Through the wisdom gained by experience, we can sometimes infer what may or may not happen. Creating rigid rules and restrictions in our lives to avoid fearful situations only heightens our frustrations when things fail to work out as expected. When we attempt to resist God's will, desiring a more selfish outcome, we often suffer needlessly. James gives us the bottom line: God has given us free will, but His purpose will ultimately play out.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (New International Version) states, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." Self-reliance is a dangerous trait. We fool ourselves into believing we can control the direction of our lives. This delusional pride in our abilities puts us at odds with our Creator. A crooked path is much longer and more challenging to walk. If we trust God, He can make our paths straight.

The Bible contains many examples of people overcoming trials, fears, and anxieties. Job is one of the best examples of someone who experienced immense loss and physical suffering. He struggled throughout his trials to understand the cause of his misery. We learn from his experience that God ultimately knows what is best for us and that even in the most difficult of circumstances, His goodness and grace can bless us far beyond what we thought possible.

Jonah, a prophet of God, resisted His call to service because of his distrust in God's plans for the people of Nineveh, Israel's adversary. He even sought to thwart God's plan to save his own life. In reality, God had intended from the beginning to keep Jonah safe. Only later, the prophet realized that he could have avoided much of his stress and suffering if he had just followed God's instructions.

During times of great stress or trials, God often affords us the opportunity to grow closer to Him in prayer and study. To some, it may seem counterintuitive that our greatest character growth can come during times while suffering and in pain—oftentimes self-inflicted. The human condition is such that we often seek after the things that do the most spiritual damage to us. The fast-paced distractions of life cause us to neglect the things that hold the most weight in our spiritual development.

The apostle Paul writes in Colossians 3:1-2: "If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth." The goal of seeking after and improving a spiritual relationship with God becomes easier when circumstances force us to slow down or limit our daily distractions. Through trials and afflictions, we find occasions to focus on the weightier aspects of our lives.

Though we suffer, we do not lose hope. In fact, hope is a key element of enduring adversity. In Romans 5:3-5, Paul asserts:

And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

In hope, we find the strength and courage to endure life's trials. A firm foundation in God's promises of eternal life and salvation is a chief tool in razing the walls surrounding our delusions of control.

The consequences of disobedience to God's commands far outweigh anything we could imagine happening in our "what if" scenarios. Paul declares in I Corinthians 10:13:

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

God will not allow us to face challenges we lack the strength to fight.

In times of great stress, we must remember that we can find comfort in focusing on our spiritual goals. By relinquishing the misconception that we can predict our future, we can begin to live a life filled with peace and contentment.