The Comfort of Knowing God Is in Control
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God's providence—what is it? The Westminster Shorter Catechism has a clear and concise definition:
God's works of providence are his most holy, wise, and powerful preserving, and governing all his creatures, and all their actions. (WSC 11)
In other words, since God is creator and ruler of all, everything that occurs happens according to his will, even things that appear to be and are awful. Tragedies like war, crime, and the death of a loved one happen according to the will of God.
God by his permissive will determines to allow for a time and purpose the sinful acts of humankind.
Yet, there are distinctions to be made. God is not the author of evil—Scripture is clear about that (James 1:13). God is perfectly and completely good and holy. Yet, God by his permissive will determines to allow for a time and purpose the sinful acts of humankind. The most notable example is the crucifixion of Christ Jesus:
”This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men." (Acts 2:23)
It was God's will that his Son die on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins; yet, it was sinfully done by human hands. From this we vividly learn that even our own sinful acts can and are used by God for his purposes, which are always "holy, wise, and powerful."
Over time, just as the flower of a bud opens, God begins to reveal the good he brings about through our sufferings.
So what are we to make of God's providence when hurt and pain and sadness come from tragedies in our lives? In the hymn "God Moves in a Mysterious Way," written by William Cowper (1774), the last two stanzas help us answer this question:
His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding ev'ry hour.
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flow'r.
Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan his work in vain.
God is his own interpreter,
And he will make it plain.
Cowper encourages us that, while recognizing the bud of some tragic and painful event in our lives may have a bitter taste, over time as the flower opens God begins to reveal the good he brings about through such suffering. God may show us the sweetness in full bloom, just as we see from Christ Jesus' resurrection after his crucifixion. The most terrible suffering and death of all time brings forgiveness, salvation, and love, even though at the time Jesus' crucifixion seemed the most unjust death imaginable.
God's providence brings about stronger faith, humility, and greater dependence on him.
Likewise, many of us can surely look back over our own lives and see in our past the failures and errors of trying to have things our way. We can see our sins and sad results in the lives around us while looking on our sin with guilt and regret and crying out to God for forgiveness and renewal. And as we reflect, we can see even the good that God's providence has brought about—stronger faith, greater dependence on God, and humility as we look on others who struggle like we have struggled.
God rules over all that happens, preserving us and governing everything that goes on. Knowing God is in control we can be encouraged that, even when we can't see what God plainly has in mind, we can patiently wait and trust in him that he is most wise, good, and loving in everything that comes to pass.
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