The sovereignty of God: God is never surprised about anything because He is aware of mankind and knows of events before they actually occur. He knows our very nature. In contrast, we are often easily surprised or even caught off guard when there is an abrupt occurrence. While we refer to accidents from a human perspective, God operates within a divine plan. There are no accidents according to God. He is aware of all things. The challenge that we have is to believe and trust in Him through all circumstances. While God calls for each us to humble ourselves and be exalted (Matthew 23:12), it is the very act of humility, taking our eyes and focus off of ourselves, that glorifies God. He will, in turn, glorify Himself with His presence manifested with how He works within your life. We have to humble ourselves in our faith because we come to the realization that only God can fix the situation or give us the ability to bear the adverse circumstances that we face. An important promise that God provides is that God will be present with us in the midst of your affliction, and that it will never be more than what you can bear or deal with (1 Corinthians 10:13). God gives us the power to endure the worst of circumstances and unhealthy environments in our interpersonal relationships.
Remember the blind man who Jesus healed (from John 9)? We must first understand that, in God’s sovereign nature, the blind man was to be a dramatic testimony for the glory of God (John 9:1-4). We all must come to the realization that everything that we are to do is to be for the glory of God. Do you look at your life before God and focus on how we can serve Him? Paul declares that God’s grace is sufficient for him, even through His affliction (2 Corinthians 12:5-9). Even in our disobedience, God will still be glorified (Isaiah 49:3-4). We are to realize that our life experiences come from Him and through Him. Jonathan, the son of Saul, had to endure Saul’s anger and outbursts in his own home (1 Samuel 20:28-34). Many of us have endured this type of conflict in our own households. After all is said and done, God’s will is what will occur in spite of one’s disobedience and failure to accept God’s will. While it may be understandable to do so, we are not to always harp on the circumstances that we are under (Isaiah 45:9) because God is certainly aware of all of it. We still must press ahead with the truth that everything happens according to His will and it is all for His glory (Isaiah 43:7; Exodus 14:4). He wants us to remain obedient to Him and to His Word and to love all people, even those whose intent was to harm us or ridicule us. We need to always remember who God is as he molds and shapes us into His likeness (that of Jesus Christ) for the purpose of giving glory to God the Father (Philippians 2:5-11, 2 Corinthians 4:7-15). Even in the sovereignty of God, through our pain, suffering and affliction, His grace is sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:6-10).
Akron Alliance Fellowship 