Trust the Dealer

Sometimes you have to work with the hand your dealt as best you can – and trust the Dealer.

I thought I’d start this post a little differently, with the point I’d like to make up front, rather than waiting until the end.

You know the expression, “these are the cards I’ve been dealt”, or some variation of it. It’s meant to portray the situation we’ve found ourselves in, or the external circumstances surrounding us that we must navigate. The expression is often used with a hint of defeatism. Like there’s nothing we can do about it. While it’s true that there are always circumstances beyond our control, it’s also true that what makes the difference is how we approach them or, dare I say, deal with them.

I’d like you to stop reading just for a moment – and think about some circumstance or situation in your life you’re dealing with right now. One where you might use the expression about being dealt this particular hand. Some struggle or challenge, perhaps.

Do you have it? Okay, read on.

Now, let me ask you a question. This hand you’ve been dealt… Who’s the Dealer? Where did these circumstances come from? Depending on your philosophical bent or faith tradition, the answer to that question could be all over the map. If you’re a Christian though, you should recognize the Dealer as being God. (Hence the capitalization of the D I’ve been using.)

We could theologically debate over the difference between “He caused it” or “He allowed it”, but I’d prefer not to. Let’s just agree for now that if it’s in your life, God knows about it. And since He is at the same time omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent, odds are He is well aware of your situation, and is no doubt in control of it, in some way, shape or form.

Does thinking of your situation in that light bother you? Does it make you frustrated with God? (It’s okay if it does – He can handle it.) It should instead bring you hope! Your situation is not random. It’s not there because “the universe is against you” or some other idiotic phrase I’ve heard people come up with. (Some of them Christians, I might add.) Rather, the God of the universe is well-aware of your situation. And He loves you. A lot! (Re-read John 3:16 if you doubt that in any way.) And so, if He loves you, and you’re going through something difficult, it must be because you are going to end up being better for it.

And this is where it gets tough. When it seems like there is nothing we can do, there is always one thing we can do, and that’s trust Him.

Trust Him to protect you. Trust Him to get you through it. Trust that He knows more than you do, so there must be a reason for all of it. What makes this difficult, of course, is that trust is difficult. Depending on the level of control you prefer to have in your life, it can be extremely hard to do. For some, it is nearly impossible. But until you learn to do it, you’ll feel stuck, powerless and probably defeated.

It doesn’t have to be that way. Learn to trust the Dealer. When you do, you’ll notice the hand you’ve been dealt isn’t quite so bad after all. If it’s the hand He wants you to have, then that’s the hand you should want. Regardless of what the cards look like.