Is God in Control?

Is God in control?  This is an important question to answer if we are to find rest and peace in this troubled world.  If we say “NO,” then our “NO” will spawn three ugly heads.  One of those ugly heads is regret.  We look back at our mistakes and instead of discovering that God is growing us and working all things out for the good, we see only loss and failure.

A second ugly head is that we are left to our own resources to rescue us from the problems of life. In other words, the burden of our salvation from the messes of life rests entirely within our own abilities and strength to deliver us.   Yes, we may know that we are “saved by faith through grace… not by works,” (Eph 2:8-9) but in reality we are not fully living this out because we are leaning on our own strength.  

The third ugly head that grows out of our doubt about God’s control is the condition of our hearts.  Instead of peace in the midst of a storm, our eyes are on the crashing waves and the rolling seas that are beating us up.  Instead of quietness and hope within we are anxious for tomorrow.  We become fearful that our world is caving in.   

But the Bible’s good news is that even though life is messy and often full of trouble, God is in control.  The fancy theological terminology for all of this is called the Sovereignty and Providence of God.  The Sovereignty of God refers to God's ultimate authority and control over all things.  God’s providence refers to His active involvement in His creation. 

It is the Sovereignty and Providence of God that enables us to have peace in a troubled world.   One of the most concise verses in Scripture about the Sovereignty and Providence of God comes from Isaiah 46:9-10: "I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, (I declare) the end from the beginning, from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.”

When we are truly able to trust God that He is taking the broken pieces of our lives and weaving something beautiful out of them, we begin to develop an expectant hope of what He will do through them, despite the difficulties confronting us.  And when we do this we can say with the Apostle Paul, “We rejoice in our suffering, for we know that suffering produces perseverance, and perseverance character and character hope and hope will not put us to shame.”  (Romans 5:8)