Trusting a Sovereign God

Most Christians, if asked, will say they believe in a sovereign God. However, in their daily life God is generally (and sadly) reduced to a force that is limited by human free will. For some, to believe in a completely sovereign God is to deny human free will. On the other hand, some would say that to acknowledge human free will would be to deny God's sovereignty. Outside of the discussion of this relationship, are other topics that conflict with God's sovereignty such as the idea of chance and whether or not God actively controls the weather and geological phenomenons like earthquakes. Some say that God is powerful enough to control everything, but that he has set things in motion and is just an observer. Others argue that he is much more active. These are questions that we all have to deal with when studying God's word and examining his promises for us. This is where it gets tricky.

This is a topic that God has had me mulling over for a while now. I have been really seeking his word for answers and to increase my faith. God has shown me so much through the scriptures, my faith is ever-increasing as I study. "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word."

First, God drew me to Isaiah, so let's begin there. If you have time, I suggest you read Isaiah 42-45. However, I will only point out a few verses. In verses 5 and 6 of chapter 42, we see that God created the heavens and the earth and everything in them. He gives breath to its inhabitants and even our spirit comes from him. He promises to take our hand and to keep us. In chapter 43 we find that God formed Israel and created its people. He has called them by name and given them promises to protect them. God tells of his love for them. God says in verse 7 that they were created for his glory. In chapter 44, God further tells of his love for Israel and makes many promises for protection and provision. God tells us that there is none like him. Chapter 45 is the icing on the cake. In verse 7, we see that God forms light and creates darkness. We see that he makes well-being and creates calamity. That everything is subject to his will.

In all this, we must remember that God, even though completely sovereign, is never unjust, unrighteous, or evil. He is perfect and he is good. We can trust that he ordains both good and evil in this life and in this world in order to establish his good and perfect will. He does not create evil, but God does ordain evil to carry out his purpose. Everything is subject to God's authority. "You meant evil against me, but God meant it for my good."

Here's some additional reading: Psalm 135. Verse 6 says that "whatever pleases the Lord, he does, in heaven and on Earth, in the seas and all the deeps." At the end of Proverbs 16, we see that "every decision is from the Lord." In Revelation 17:17, it is said that "God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose..." What we have to see here is that God's will is sovereign. It will happen. Either by his active hand or his purposeful allowance. In Daniel 4:35, we see that God "does according to his will among the hosts of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand..."

So, why is God's sovereignty important to grasp and understand? It is necessary to understand God's sovereignty if we are going to put our faith in our Heavenly Father. If we are supposed to trust in the promises made in scripture, we must believe in a God that can bring about those promises, or else they were made in vain. We are so tempted and so eager to hold on to our "free-will" and our freedom, all the while, forgetting that the more freedom we claim for ourselves, the less we can logically trust in God's promises to his children. Tell me, if God has plans to prosper us, not to harm us, to give us a hope and a future, how will this promise be kept if people around us choose by the power of their "free-will" to steal from us, harm us, take away our hope, and destroy our future. Who's will is greater, man's or God's?

I believe it was Randy Alcorn who used this analogy: Think of a child and his father, both at home. Both have free-will. Both have desires and choices. However, one has authority. The child can make his own choices, seek his own desires, however his choices and his ability to seek his desires are subject to the authority of his father. The father's will is sovereign in the home. He holds the authority. And, so it is to an extent like this for Christians. We enjoy free will only to the point that it coincides with God's sovereign authority. And this is necessary if we are to believe that the word of God is true, active, and will not return void.

I have to trust in God's sovereignty to fulfill his promises to forgive
my sins, to sanctify me, and in the end to glorify me. Forgiveness, sanctification and glorification are things we cannot accomplish on our own. We depend on him to do it and can trust he will. In 1 Thessalonians 5:23, we see a prayer that "the God of peace himself sanctify [us] completely, and may [our] whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls [us] is faithful; he will surely do it." He is faithful. We can be sure that he will do it; Christ is the one who will himself sanctify us and keep us blameless until his return. We can trust this promise because we can trust in God's sovereignty to make it happen. God is surely mighty to save and to carry out his perfect will.


For further study:

How to Increase my Faith
We must strive to maintain the assurance of our salvation by
holding our faith in Christ and His word. We must seek to build our
faith so that we do not lose hope. Romans 10:14-17

Our Responsibility in His Sovereignty
To watch and pray (Matt. 26:41). To seek God above all else (Matt.
6:24). To love others more than ourselves (Phil. 2:3). To flee from sin and
pursue righteousness (2 Tim. 2:22). To bear good fruit (Gal. 5:22-23).