Sovereignty of God in the Midst of our Trials by Suresh Joel
1 Peter 2:19-21 “For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that you should follow His steps”
The sermon was “The Word for the hour” for most of us in the congregation as we were gathered with lots of doubts and questions in our mind. The previous week was very tough as we lost our dear Suhana, daughter of our beloved Pastor, Sibi George. The church earnestly prayed for a miracle but God’s plans were different. This fact shook most of us and I personally was waiting for this message!
Theology of suffering: If God is good and Almighty why do we suffer? God’s creation has boundaries… He cannot do something that is absurd. His ways are beneficial and has a positive outcome. God is good but is not necessarily kind. I could relate to this as I refuse giving chocolates and ice-cream when my son Samson demands. I am not kind here as I know its outcome… that it might trigger his wheezing. God may not give all that we want like how some prosperity preachers claim but He is working on something that is better for us – our eternal character.
Sovereignty of God: Ephesians 1:4-6 “… just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the beloved”.
The purpose of creation is to declare the greatness of the glory of the grace of God and that grace was best displayed at the Cross. But when our “self” is on the throne, we suffer when God de-thrones the “self”. God is not always interested in our happiness but He wants us to be like Him. Like a refiner who purifies silver, He will purify us until He sees His image in us. But even in this process He is with us. He is YHWH Shammah! He is sovereign, Almighty and knows the end from the beginning! The cross was His plan for mankind from the foundation of the world and not Plan-B just because Adam messed-up at the Garden of Eden.
Prayer and Faith: If God is all knowing, why should we pray? We should pray because He has asked us to pray. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says “pray without ceasing”. God gives us His perspective if we listen to Him during prayer and helps us to change our mind, our priorities. Also, when we pray, His heart melts and as a reward, He may change His sovereign plan. Isaiah 38 records one such incident where King Hezekiah was given a bonus of 15 years even after prophet Isaiah gives him the word that he will not live. When the king prayed unto the Lord, He saw his tears. God has a “perfect will” for all of us and if we become too ambitious we drift into His ‘permissive will’. God out of His mercy will allow this too but it may not be beneficial for us. On the contrary, in His perfect will there may be suffering but the battle belongs to Him! He is YHWH Tzva’ot, the Lord of Hosts.
Reflection by Reena Thomas