Repentant submission. The pain: Abraham and Molly Piper (John Piper’s son and daughter in law) lost a full term baby. The people who explain the various aspects of suffering in the presence of a sovereign God do so without being flippant, coy, or above it all. and so much more! #2. universe.” (“Sovereignty of God”, Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, ed. Some verses that support this are as follows: Psalm 115:3, "But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases." The “double for his trouble” teaching that you hear so often in the prosperity gospel message tries to take the focus off the entire point of the book of Job that reveals to us the beautiful attribute of God’s sovereignty over all things that happen in our world, including pain and suffering. Your encouragement and prayers mean more than you may ever know! “The book of Job is the theological elephant in the room of the Prosperity Gospel.”. I fully agree!!! all, and that’s all that all means.” Nothing – absolutely Fearless obedience. The How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!” (Romans 11:33). that we often succumb to when things seem to be spiraling out of control. 1 A Psalm of David. [1) Or Only 2) Heb for length of days ]. Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus! Even though we declare God to be God with our mouths, in our hearts we often struggle with the fact that God is God and we are not. Jehovah is my shepherd; I shall not want. And, even though we did not understand why my wife and I were able to trust God to know that HE understood why. Yes, God is the one who gave Satan the permission, so it was ultimately a part of God’s plan for Job. Is this really true? “If there is one maverick molecule in all the universe, then God is not sovereign. Hi there! He cares,” as though two realities––God’s sovereignty and his lovingkindness––can’t coexist. Those things live just under the surface of our paper-thin facade, and the associated pain drips continually through our veins. In times of suffering, we can pray for God’s mercy to come and cry out for His help in time of trouble, yes, but we must remember Jesus promised that “in this life, there will be trouble” (John 16:33). Isaiah 46:10, "Declar . Oh! This last week was a time of great joy and great pain. are accounted as the dust on the scales; behold, he takes up the coastlands like fine dust. Here’s number one. That means that our pain is not an accident. We will make the devil pay!” or do you trust God’s ways are higher than yours and say like our Lord, Jesus, “Not my will, Lord, but Yours be done” and trust that He will use that trial for your good and for His glory? Remember, the Apostles suffered greatly and many of them died horrendous deaths as martyrs. “If there is one maverick molecule in all the universe, then God is not sovereign. God … 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom … Our God works “all things” according to the God will use all things to conform us to the image of Christ and often in the life of the believer that includes pain and suffering. The Bible also makes it clear that God’s people are not immune to this suffering. from unbelievers is the confidence that our suffering is under the control of I’m so sorry you went through all of that, but I am glad you are on the mend! To deny that, is to deny reality of the fact that we live in a fallen world and Christians are not exempt from the results of it. an all-powerful and all-loving God. He is also the author of two outreach books: Good News for All Nations and Discovering Hope. He took time off work to take care of me! Sovereign over all. God's Sovereignty. -Emily. The grim realities of darkness, however, shouldn’t surprise us. Absolutely nothing happens a part from God’s sovereign will, not even physical death. It is the emotional pain of suffocating our parasitic idols — the labor pains of joy. Thank you for the wonderful and appropriate use of scripture. In just a second but this idea of God’s sovereignty in the midst of suffering makes a lot of people angry, not just non believers but also believers as well. When we try to give more power to Satan than we should, we infer that he “got one passed God” like God was completely … God’s sovereignty refers to God’s supreme position and I have an auto immune disease, lost my job and just went through a life changing break up and people seem to go on and on about how I can just “claim my healing” and that I clearly do not have enough faith, because my heart hasn’t healed yet… I thank God for the book of Job and the teachings of Paul which remind us that God is sovereign and he has the final authority. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. But God’s reign is forever. Some say that God has nothing to do with suffering God has nothing to do with suffering. As God, He has complete and final authority accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness.” When the nations rage and Sproul Jr. shares poignant stories from his own life as he presents important scriptural teachings about God's role in human suffering. Our hearts by instinct respond to suffering … Our hope is not in this life, infact we are foreigners here and our present sufferings are achieving an eternal glory for us. Yes, Where is He in all of that? 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou hast anointed my head with oil; My cup runneth over. Jesus Christ has been provided to us as the way to heaven. Recently, we came across a post that was essentially drawing the conclusion that pain and suffering are not a part of God’s plan for your life, but ultimately, Satan’s alone. But it was all for God’s glory and a part of His sovereign plan for their lives. and Lord of lords” (I Tim.6:15). and purpose for the world which no man can in any way alter (Job 42:1; Isa. 14:24-27). God is the whisper on the wind that enlivens all souls and guides them on the narrow path towards, the narrow gate. Oh my! He determines when one’s time is up for He is the one who numbers our days (Psalm 139:16). from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” I think we all Our natural inclination is to experience fear. He responded to God’s display of sovereignty in repentant submission and was gloriously changed! We forget Though the superstitions of the heathen were a thousand times stronger than they are, and the example of the Europeans a thousand times worse; though I were deserted by all and persecuted by all, yet my faith, fixed on the sure Word, would rise above all obstructions and overcome every trial. When we think specifically about the truth of God’s 6 [1] Surely goodness and lovingkindness shall follow me all the days of my life; And I shall dwell in the house of Jehovah [2] for ever. This proud, pagan king who basked in the glow of his own power and glory had to be humbled by God in order to learn just how powerless he truly was (see Dan.4:28-37). How wonderful that God used your fall to draw you and your husband closer. Counsel for Those Struggling with Assurance. Have you noticed that they usually take one scripture completely out of context and manage to completely deceive their audiences? that we know what’s best. God, however, rules over rulers and even uses their folly to God's sovereignty is a stumbling block for atheists and unbelievers who demand that if God is in total control, ... We cannot expect a rich, pain-free life, as touted by the prosperity gospel. And, a bonus in all this is that his employer told him to “Stay home and take care of your wife as long as you need to!”. Pain: to make us doubt God’s sovereign goodness. And NOT in some “healing or prosperity message’! He can change things in an instant but his ways are not our ways and we cannot rely on our own limited, fleshy understanding. We believe God still heals. But until then, we continue to declare “And if not…He is still good” and trust our life in His sovereign hands no matter what comes our way. We must remember that our faith in Him means that because of the cross, we are forgiven and now we can have the hope that He never leaves our side and walks with us through the valley and the mountain top experiences and we have the ultimate hope that there is a glorious eternal life that awaits us in Christ Jesus. Everything that is unsearchable and inscrutable to us is governed by the deepest divine wisdom. A Conversation with a Pilgrim, When the Fire Won’t Light: Sharing the Gospel. At the heart of the fear and doubt is the inability of most people to truly trust God with all of their hearts. God’s Sovereignty in the midst of pain… Posted on October 1, 2007 | 9 Comments. Welcome to our blog! John Piper notes, “There are no limits to God’s rule. I knew the minute I was told of his death that God had plans for him and he had to have him to complete those plans. The Scriptures consistently present pain and suffering not as aberrations, but norms of life in a fallen world. theology in times of darkness. Micah is the discipleship and outreach pastor at Community of Grace Church in Buffalo, NY. Jesus is the name above every other name, including covid 19. accomplish His good purposes (ex. absolute power as the Creator, Sustainer, and Ruler over creation. sovereignty, worship should be expressed in at least three ways: #1. Nothing happens without his permission. I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day: Echoes of Peace in a Troubled Time, Giving Thanks in 2020? The One of the most profound statements in all of the Bible on the sovereignty of God was ironically made by King Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4:34-35. The question is, “Where will we turn when it comes?” Based on the book of Job, David Platt urges us to respond to suffering by meditating on God’s sovereignty. And that is why faith in God is so important because it is the rock on which we stand when trials and the storms of life come because they will. When a tragic, unexpected death happens, do you shake your fist and proclaim “Not today, Satan! It hurts. There is no god, but god, for god is ineffable and yet everything and no thing. Thank you so much for this timely post!! these are the times that try men’s souls. [1) Or deep darkness (and so elsewhere)] It’s painful to accept the sovereignty of God when you despise what has gone on in your life. Risha (South Africa :)). The lie that tempted Adam and Even to 1 Peter 2:24 is regards to spiritual healing by the way. beasts enough for a burnt offering. Your email address will not be published. God’s Sovereignty and Human Will . The At the same time, we have to understand his sovereignty in light of his character. just how fragile and finite we really are. I have never been so blessed as when he called my son home. It’s tempting to think that our We all of us must lift our brows and raise ourselves from that which is not and come to see through the false prophets, the heretics and the pharisees. This God is sovereign. We believe If God isn’t sovereign over all (including Satan and death and suffering and pain) than God isn’t sovereign at all. The “double for his trouble” teaching that you hear so often in the prosperity gospel message tries to take the focus off the entire point of the book of Job that reveals to us the beautiful attribute of God’s sovereignty over all things that happen in our world, including pain and suffering. We knew that because God was sovereign, that He had allowed us to suffer this trauma. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. He looked perfect to me. The Bible tells us that God is sovereign.This is one of his eternal or infinite attributes.God is referred to by the term Sovereign Lord countless times in the Bible. and love. We told them that in spite of the pain and the loss, we were fine. God chose to take the life of our baby, but not mine. But in seasons of suffering, we have hope. Thank you so much! Praise God for taking care of you and working everything out. reminds us that “there is no authority except “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble” (v.37). This is a great post and right for these times as more and more souls align with the truth of truths. seek to exalt themselves as supreme, our God “sits in the heavens and laughs” Open sovereignty, in distinction from process thinking, agrees with the traditional view that God is the superior power who depends on nothing outside of God’s self in order to exist and who is (therefore) free in a most fundamental way. Isn’t God the one who allowed suffering to happen to Job? I believe so. There is a part of me that does not want to be writing right now, even though that is what I love to do. And when you hold the bad things up next to the concept that God is sovereign over everything, it makes you want to back away from Him very, very slowly. He cares,” as though two realities––God’s sovereignty and His lovingkindness––can’t coexist. You know what I am talking about. sovereign rule works in perfect harmony with His boundless wisdom, goodness, control. The prophets of the Old Testament addressed God as the Sovereign Lord in many of their prayers, especially Isaiah and Ezekiel. God is in control, and he is good. There is a good chance that until you have experienced extreme pain and suffering in life, you have never thought much about the sovereignty of God. Now, it’s one thing to know and even affirm the truths The Scriptures consistently present pain and suffering not as aberrations, but norms of life in a fallen world. In his helpful book, Trusting God Even When Life Hurts, Jerry I had peace and calm throughout it all, because…GOD IS SOVEREIGN AND I NOW TRUST IN HIM! wellbeing rests in the hands of incompetent people. “These are the times that try men’s souls…” the well-known words of poet Thomas Payne came to mind as I drove to the grocery store yesterday in my fearless quest to acquire the rare jewel of toilet paper. Our hope is not some kind of wishful thinking that things will magically get better. But these are not times to fall prey Worse, it seems He is disinterested in the health of your … After we got home, I passed out, then came to, and then vomited for 2 hours! In an attempt to comfort hurting friends, I’ve heard well-meaning people say, “God didn’t cause your pain. God is not your vending machine. Our hope is rooted in the bedrock, Bible-based truth that our God is sovereign and is orchestrating all of the events in our lives to accomplish His wise, good, and gracious purposes. Truly, God IS Sovereign and all things DO work together for good to those who LOVE God, and are CALLED according to HIS purpose! We say that God is sovereign, but when “I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one” (1 John 2:14). Micah enjoys reading, coffee, hearty conversations, and time spent with his wife and four children. Then there are books like Suffering and the Sovereignty of God that bring your thinking up short when it comes to the whole issue of why we suffer, why God allows it, why so much agony and pain. When we try to give more power to Satan than we should, we infer that he “got one passed God” like God was completely unaware it was going to happen. I hope that christians don`t look too much what is happening i this world. Suffering is a reality for everyone on this earth, including believers. Our moment is July 6, 1993, before 10:40 p.m. We were helping our daughter Heidi and her fiancé write out their wedding invitation. Let’s come push back against the claims of God’s sovereignty in the midst of suffering. Like Nebuchadnezzar, the truths of I held our little boy in my arms, a five-pound, beautifully formed baby. by Matt Slick 11/25/2008 . My sweetheart has prayed with me, comforted me, held my hand to even go to the bathroom (I’ve been quite dizzy!) comes resting in the doctrine of God’s sovereignty. Amen, Your email address will not be published. sovereignty. Required fields are marked *. anger? counsel of His will (Eph.1:11). 4 Yea, thou I walk through the valley of [1] the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. And yes, God was faithful to turn it around for him, but Job experienced tremendous pain and loss in his life at the hand of the enemy, yet, God allowed it to happen. As though God is far removed from our suffering except in its aftermath, when He finally shows up and helps us pick up the pieces. But what about the bad stuff? All the nations are as nothing before him, they are Well, I have God, and His Word is true. truth about God’s sovereignty will be a comfort to us when we remember that His Nations will rise and fall. Yes, but either way, it will be used to conform me to the image of Christ and God WILL work it out for good. We began with the words,… Psalm 107 says we should give thanks to the Lord, for he is good and that his love endures forever. The LOVE that has grown between my husband and I these past 5 days is more than wonderful! I wish more people would realise the deception that is so prevalent amongst many preachers today. Thanks for having the courage to post this article, in a world in which believers have been corrupted by the lusts of the flesh, it is wonderful to know that there are still people out there who fight for truth! For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.'”. Books have been written on the sovereignty of God … Embrace God's Sovereignty, Even in Pain Chuck Betters Think of a perfect moment in your past, the moment to which you wish you could return. know from experience how frustrating it can be when those in positions of power We’re tempted to take credit for what only God’s grace can accomplish. The suffering that we experience with Christ is not the searing pain of a physical experience. Sovereign Our suffering has meaning and purpose in Whilst enduring suffering, tribulation, and hardships God' sovereignty will help us in the time of need. In an attempt to comfort hurting friends, I’ve heard well-meaning people say, “God didn’t cause your pain. everything that happens in it. Does the possibility exist that I may never be physically healed? [1) Heb waters of rest ] He has been at my side every step of the way! 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