DAN THE CHILD OF GOD: May 26 God Is Always in Control Isaiah 45:5-7 I admit that I often don’t understand why bad things happen. Even so, I believe that God has a purpose for everything He does or permits. My faith is rooted in the biblical principle that says the Lord is sovereign (Ps. 22:28). He is in absolute control of this universe, the natural and political climate of this earth, and my life and yours. When we are in the midst of a trial, it is hard to resist crying out, “God, Why is this happening?” Sometimes we get the answer and sometimes we don’t. What we can be sure of is that nothing happens by accident or coincidence. He has a purpose for even our most painful experiences. Moreover, we have His promise to “cause all things to work together for good to those who love God” (Rom. 8:28). Seeing in advance how the Lord will work evil or hurt for our benefit is very difficult, if not impossible. My limited human perspective doesn’t allow me to grasp His greater plan. However, I can confirm the truth of this biblical promise because the Father’s good handiwork appears all through my pain, hardship, and loss. I have experienced Him turn mourning into gladness and have seen Him reap bountiful blessings and benefits from my darkest hours. As believers, we must accept that God won’t always make sense to us. Isaiah teaches that His ways and thoughts are higher than our own (Isa. 55:9). He sees the beautifully completed big picture. We can rely on the fact that God is in control, no matter how wildly off-kilter our world seems to spin.from Dr. Charles Stanley,Defective Mind Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, which some have professed and in so doing have wandered from the faith. - 1 Timothy 6:20-21 The other day I spoke with a very bright thirty-five-year-old man. . . a microbiologist, nuclear physicist. . . well, he has the degree to be a microbiologist, nuclear physicist. Instead, he's a postal worker who comes home to an empty house everyday. This man suffers from social anxiety. He's uncomfortable every moment he's around others. And he's miserable. Now, I'm all for us feeling good about ourselves and being grateful for the gifts that God's given us. But in the midst of our happy talk, we need to accept that to some degree or another we each have a sick mind. So sick that microbiologists end up delivering mail. Wealthy people shoplift. Healthy people gain 180 pounds. And counselors end up in inappropriate relationships with those they wanted to help. Our sick minds won't lead us to a place of health and wholeness. You have to reach beyond what's in your head, and reach out for the help you need. Reach out to God. Reach out to others. Be attentive to what the Holy Spirit is saying, in your thought life and in the circumstances of your life. Be responsible and do something! - Steve Arterburn
God Is Always in Control
Isaiah 45:5-7
I admit that I often don’t understand why bad things happen. Even so, I believe that God has a purpose for everything He does or permits. My faith is rooted in the biblical principle that says the Lord is sovereign (Ps. 22:28). He is in absolute control of this universe, the natural and political climate of this earth, and my life and yours.
When we are in the midst of a trial, it is hard to resist crying out, “God, Why is this happening?” Sometimes we get the answer and sometimes we don’t. What we can be sure of is that nothing happens by accident or coincidence. He has a purpose for even our most painful experiences. Moreover, we have His promise to “cause all things to work together for good to those who love God” (Rom. 8:28).
Seeing in advance how the Lord will work evil or hurt for our benefit is very difficult, if not impossible. My limited human perspective doesn’t allow me to grasp His greater plan. However, I can confirm the truth of this biblical promise because the Father’s good handiwork appears all through my pain, hardship, and loss. I have experienced Him turn mourning into gladness and have seen Him reap bountiful blessings and benefits from my darkest hours.
As believers, we must accept that God won’t always make sense to us. Isaiah teaches that His ways and thoughts are higher than our own (Isa. 55:9). He sees the beautifully completed big picture. We can rely on the fact that God is in control, no matter how wildly off-kilter our world seems to spin.from Dr. Charles Stanley,Defective Mind
Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, which some have professed and in so doing have wandered from the faith. - 1 Timothy 6:20-21
The other day I spoke with a very bright thirty-five-year-old man. . . a microbiologist, nuclear physicist. . . well, he has the degree to be a microbiologist, nuclear physicist. Instead, he's a postal worker who comes home to an empty house everyday. This man suffers from social anxiety. He's uncomfortable every moment he's around others. And he's miserable.
Now, I'm all for us feeling good about ourselves and being grateful for the gifts that God's given us. But in the midst of our happy talk, we need to accept that to some degree or another we each have a sick mind. So sick that microbiologists end up delivering mail. Wealthy people shoplift. Healthy people gain 180 pounds. And counselors end up in inappropriate relationships with those they wanted to help.
Our sick minds won't lead us to a place of health and wholeness. You have to reach beyond what's in your head, and reach out for the help you need. Reach out to God. Reach out to others. Be attentive to what the Holy Spirit is saying, in your thought life and in the circumstances of your life. Be responsible and do something!
- Steve Arterburn