Inside: Last week, I ended my thoughts about God’s sovereignty with the truth expressed in Romans 8:28—that in “all things God works for the good of those who love Him.” Let’s explore this further today. ~
If you’re anything like me, you might find the idea that God’s sovereignty encompasses “all things” a bit hard to grasp. Here’s how Chuck Swindoll describes it in his book, The Mystery of God’s Will:
“His plan includes all promotions and demotions. His plan can mean both adversity and prosperity, tragedy and calamity, ecstasy and joy. It envelopes illness as much as health, perilous times as much as comfort, safety, prosperity, and ease. His plan is at work when we cannot imagine why, because it is so unpleasant, as much as when the reason is clear and pleasant.
His sovereignty, though it is inscrutable, has dominion over all handicaps, all heartaches, all helpless moments. It is at work through all disappointments, broken dreams, and lingering difficulties. And even when we cannot fully fathom why, He knows.
Even when we cannot explain the reasons, He understands. And when we cannot see the end, He is there, nodding, “Yes, that is My plan.”
What in the World?
All the while, we’re sitting here scratching our heads, wondering what in the world is going on. Our human minds simply cannot comprehend God’s character, His behavior or His activity in our lives (or seeming lack thereof).
Try as we might, we just can’t do it.
This really shouldn’t come as a big surprise, however. The author of Ecclesiastes makes it very clear: “As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things” (Ecclesiastes 11:5).
And God Himself spells it out in big block letters for us: “ ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts’ ” (Isaiah 55:8-9).
Psalm also 115:3 puts it bluntly: “Our God is in heaven; He does whatever pleases Him.”
God Answers to Nobody
Nothing takes Him by surprise or catches Him unaware. Nor is He not pacing the floor in the throne room, wracking His brain to figure out how in the world He’s going to solve our big problem.
Although He often chooses to use us to accomplish His work, He doesn’t need us for anything. He is the potter, and we are merely the clay (Isaiah 64:8). As such, He chooses the molds and uses whatever techniques He deems necessary to fashion us into the types of vessels He wants us to become.
Last week, we talked about how God gave Satan permission—up to a certain point—to wreak havoc in Job’s life. A righteous man, Job could not figure out why he was being made to suffer so greatly. For 35 chapters, he vacillates between listening to his friends offer their flawed explanations and begging God to show up and explain what’s going on.
God shows up eventually, but He offers no answers. He simply fires away a long series of questions that very effectively put Job in his place (Job 38-41).
Relaxing in God’s Sovereignty
God understands our need to know why we’re suffering—He made us, after all. He also understands our desire to know in advance how the story is going to end.
Sometimes He gives us a glimpse of the reasons and perhaps even a clue about the end result. But most of the time, He simply asks us to trust Him. He asks us to believe that He knows how the story ends—that no matter what happens, He will work it out for our ultimate good.
This is where I find myself right now; perhaps you do too.
I like to describe this process as “relaxing in God’s sovereignty.” I know those words don’t naturally go together—relaxation brings to mind peace, tranquility and solace, while sovereignty triggers thoughts of power, control, grandeur and majesty. Yet, what better place to be, than relaxing in the loving arms of the omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent Maker of the Universe.
When we’re relaxing in God’s sovereignty, we’re resting in the assurance that God knows what He’s doing.
Even when it doesn’t make one bit of sense to us.
♥ Lois
God isn't pacing the floor in the throne room, wracking His brain to figure out how in the world He’s going to solve our big problem. Share on X What better place to be than relaxing in the loving arms of the omnipotent Maker of the Universe. Share on XNote: This post is adapted from my book Infertility: Finding God’s Peace in the Journey (Harvest House, 2003), available here.
P.S. I’m linking up this week with #tellhisstory, InstaEncouragements, Let’s Have Coffee and Grace & Truth.n
16 comments
I like the phrase you penned very much: ““relaxing in God’s sovereignty.” I think it reflects Matthew 11: 28-20, too. He provides rest for our souls and guidance to eternity, even (and especially!) when we don’t understand.
Amen, Lynn. I love the connection to the Matthew 11 passage!
Amen, my friend. Over the years the Lord has helped me react faster and faster to the “unpleasant things of life” with the phrases “God is not surprised” and “God knows.” Those aren’t trite sayings. I love how you describe these truths and how they enable us to relax in His sovereignty. Praying for you as you’re resting in His sovereignty through a challenging season!
No, Bethany … those definitely are not trite sayings. So grateful for you and your prayers, dear friend.
Resting in God’s sovereignty is the only way to live. He is the only one who is all-wise, all-loving, and in control! When bad things happen, I have to wrestle to get there, but it is the only place I find peace. Enjoyed your post today.
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Debbie. I can relate to your wrestling, and also to the peace you find as a result.
Lois this is an amazing message! I always find myself reflecting on our great I AM. I’m completely awed and my little human brain just can’t fathom. Sometimes when I’m sitting outside and just aweing at his sunshine trees flowers I think how I AM is everywhere. Space and time I AM… Your right we don’t get it. I’m going to check your book out, I had infertility too. Heartache doesn’t begin to describe me at that time. I was a lukewarm Christian at that time so I didn’t seek him then. I’ll email you my story sometime though. I’m bookmarking this to reference later when I need uplifting. What’s the Chuck Swondoll book your talking about? I’d like to look that up too.
Visiting today from Joanne’s
xo
Good to hear from you, Paula! I would love to learn more about your infertility story … I don’t think I knew we had that journey in common. The Chuck Swindoll book is The Mystery of God’s Will. Hugs, friend.
I read that Chuck Swindoll book years ago and his wisdom and insights are so good. This >> “When we’re relaxing in God’s sovereignty, we’re resting in the assurance that God knows what He’s doing.” When we don’t understand our circumstances, we think God also doesn’t understand what we are experiencing. The enemy presents the lie that God has lost His control. Your post now has me humming the old hymn, “Blessed Assurance” and brought to mind the words:
“Perfect submission, all is at rest,
I in my Savior am happy and blest;
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.”
Hugs!
Joanne, that’s a great point about how we assume God doesn’t understand our circumstances when we don’t. I’m so glad He does, even though I can’t explain how! “Blessed Assurance” is one of my favorite hymn too. 🙂
The hardest thing I wrestle with in regard to God’s sovereignty is when it involves someone else’s wrongdoing. Like when Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery. He was able to say that though they meant harm, God meant it for good. We’re never told why Joseph’s journey happened as it did, but one writer pointed out that he would have been a very different man if he had grown up the favored son of a well-to-do family. Though it’s not spelled out, perhaps he learned humility and dependence on God through his trials. Too, Judah’s change from chapter 38 to chapters 43-44 seems to have been influenced by the effects of their sin on their father.
When it’s other people’s sin, it’s hard to accept that God works it for good. When it’s my sin, I am thankful for His mercy and grace.
I just looked at your previous post and saw that I said some of the same things there, LOL. Short memory. But it’s a continuing mystery. All we can do, as you said, is trust that God knows what He is doing.
Your thoughts apply to both posts, Barbara. I’m glad you shared them, because you are not the only one who thinks them! 🙂
I understand your conundrum, Barbara. As you said in your other comment, it is a “continuing mystery” indeed.
I just commented somewhere else about my tendency to sit in judgment over God when he acts in ways that I don’t understand, and coming off my recent immersion in the book of Job, I can see that I’m not the first to do that. Thanks be to God for his mercy!
Amen to that, Michele!