SOUL FOOD: Do What You Can And Leave The Rest to God

During the making of the great epic movie, Ben Hur, Charlton Heston worked long hours with the stunt trainers to learn to drive a chariot for the movie’s crucial chariot race scene. He improved greatly in his mastery over the horses and rig, but finally became convinced the task was more of a challenge than he had initially anticipated. He approached the legendary director of the movie, Cecil B. DeMille, about the scene.

“Mr. DeMille,” Charlton said, “I’ve worked very hard at mastering this rig, and I think I can drive it convincingly in the scene. But I don’t think I can win the race.”
The director replied, “You just drive. I’ll do the rest.”

For all of us who have seen the movie and watched the chariot race to its completion, we know that’s just what happened.


Many of us can personally relate to Charlton Heston’s dilemma. We work hard for success. We put our best effort into the project. Hours of practice and preparation bring improvement. We listen to our teachers. We give it our all.

But then reality sets in. The task is bigger than we thought. Too much was expected of us. The scene will not end as scripted. The goal is just beyond our grasp. We honestly hold back nothing, but at last awaken to the fact that the job is bigger than we expected. In frustration we face the music, knowing the song will stop short of its expected end. So we go to the director and confess our inability. However disappointed we feel, we recognize we just can’t win.

Have you come to that spot yet? Have you had to face your own inadequacies and admit you just couldn’t make it happen?

This is when the Director, after listening to our words of weakness, steps up. He brings the scene to its proper conclusion. Listening to us acknowledge our misgivings He declares His control. He shouts to us what DeMille said to Heston, “You just drive. I’ll do the rest.” “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26)

It’s reminiscent of the promise of Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

What freedom and peace! We just live, and He will take care of the rest!

This is the way our movie can end! Our availability and His power! We will win the race!