7 CIRCUMSTANCES AND EVENTS Part 2

God speaks through circumstances & events: God’s sovereignty

Begin with: Ex. “What happens when Almighty God calls you house?”
(BP Story 12/27/01: a pastor cites this urban legend in his sermon)

We’ve heard a wonderful story about God’s sovereignty from last week. Let’s take a look at this from another perspective — where God allows pain and hardship into a person’s life for good.

For example: One of my extended family members had a catastrophic accident to his leg one day. A large, heavy spool of industrial electrical wire (like on electrical lines), fell on his leg and ankle — shattering it in several places. He did not know if he would ever walk again, and had to have steel rods and pins inserted into his bones. He told me one day, that he knew absolutely that God had a purpose for that accident. He had been wayward from God a long while, and he came back to God because of this traumatic event. He even told me that he was glad it happened because he knew it took this kind of event to get his attention and that God had totally used this trauma, this accident, this misfortune for priceless good in his life. He would not trade it for anything.
I believe his perspective was right on. God had orchestrated/allowed this event for good into this believer’s life.
God “spoke” through this saying something like: “I love you and want you back. I will do whatever it takes to bring you back to me because your relationship with me is that important. If temporary harm brings eternal blessing, then it is overwhelmingly worth it — and I will allow this for good. You may not understand now, but you will later.”

Emily’s story — We had a young, college-age, editorial intern work with us at the Mission Board several years ago. Her name was Emily. You could tell by her slow speech and irregular walk that something traumatic had happened to her. One day while during our weekly chapel sessions, I was surprised to see her on stage. She gave her testimony about how she had given her life to Christ. I remember her saying that she had once been on top of the world — she was extremely popular in school, a great soccer player, very beautiful, lots of friends, etc. but she had a big problem. She had a lot of pride and God did not have a place in her life. She remembers having it all, but feeling a deep down sense of hollowness. And she could not seem to give her life to God, although she knew that she needed to. She recognized all her earthly success, beauty and pride was an impossible hurdle for her to leap — that with all that going for her it was impossible to get her life with God right. One day she cried out to God in utter distress and told him that He could do whatever it took to get her in a place where she could have that relationship with Jesus. She was at that point of desperation. Not long after, she had a life-changing car-wreck that nearly killed her. All of the things that previously stood in her way of getting to God dissolved immediately. I think she had spinal injuries and head injuries. She cried through parts of her testimony, but she said toward the end, that she would never in a million years trade what she has now with God — that all she went through and lost with the accident could in no way be compared with the joy she has now in Christ. It was an amazing testimony!
What was God communicating? Something like, “Emily, I hear your prayer and will do what I have to do to bring you into a love relationship with me. I will allow a painful experience into your life — but you will later thank Me for it — because the temporary pain of today cannot compare to a relationship with Me through Jesus — or the limitless wonders of heaven and eternal life. I will grant your prayer.”

A word of caution: We should not analyze every circumstance and event — thinking God has some message for us in it. We need to understand this in broader terms.

Not every accident has a lesson.
Not every misfortune has a message.
My broken arm as a child, my alcoholic and abusive stepfather, the loss of my cat to cancer, the loss of my dad last year — none of these things had a message in it for me, as far as I could tell. We live in a sinful, fallen world and God does allow suffering and pain for a time.
But God promises to work all those things for good. That’s a promise!

Much of life seems to be guided by (good and bad) choices, missed and taken opportunities, (good and bad) circumstances.
• But does that mean your life is governed by happenstance, or by God?
• Did you know that God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life?
• Did you know that God is so powerful that He is in control of all things — all history — your life — and that nothing happens outside His power, full knowledge or permissive will?

That means good and bad things — by the counsel of His divine, often-mysterious will. It’s mysterious to us, not Him, and we must wrestle with the conclusion that God somehow, in some way, is working things out for good for us who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28). And it may not be in this present life that we see the reason, or the benefit — but it may be in heaven, where blessings, rewards and eternity awaits.

Getting to the place where I can find some comfort in knowing that God is indeed in control — despite my circumstances — is my goal by faith.

Exploring more scriptures
Prov. 3:5-6 lesson: As we TRUST in the Lord (rather than ourselves), and consider Him as we make decisions — God will communicate His way and path for us.
See also Prov. 20:24 and Jer. 10:23 and Psalm 139:16: A person who thinks that all their choices are governed by their own will is sorely mistaken. We need to acknowledge God is more in control of our choices and destiny than we think. Whether or not it turns out in our favor is dependant on simple choice to humble ourselves before the Lord.

Psalm 37:23; Prov. 16:1,9 Lesson: God sovereignly moves in man’s choices and even words — there is a mystery here — is it every choice? Every word? Why or why not?
(Reference Saul’s story in 1 Sam. 9 for choices & words)

Phil. 2:13 Lesson: God works in a believer to have the motivation and ability to accomplish what God wants. Therefore we can look at our own abilities and desires to see what God is doing and saying about our lives (Ex. Calling and spiritual giftings)
For example:
Exodus 35:30-31: What motivation and ability did God give?

Other kinds of circumstances:
• Suffering — God may speak through some suffering (as with a few of the stories above)
Waiting — God may speak through waiting: He may be saying “Not yet” or “Be patient — I have other things to do in you or in others before the time is right” Psalm 37:7
• Silence — God may speak through silence with the intention of communicating something like “I am testing your faith. What will you do if I leave you hanging… will you give up on me? Rebel against me? Choose to do something of your own inclinations?” or “I want you to go back to the last thing I told you to do — and not neglect it, but do it. Why should I answer your newest question when you haven’t been obedient to my voice over the last one?”
• Judgment — God may communicate something by the judgment which He meets out. See the “Going Deeper” optional homework study.

As you walk with the Lord, and listen — you do start to get a sense of which of the above God is speaking through. But sometimes, even many times, we have to wait or push forward without answers. But we do so in faith. The ultimate answer is not what I can teach you through this Bible study, but what will come from the Lord as you struggle through deepening that personal relationship with Him on a daily basis.

Core Lessons:
1. God is more a part of lives and circumstances than we may have ever thought or believed.
2. God will be speaking through our circumstances at various times
3. Therefore we need to discern, pray, and listen.

Read excerpt from “Holy Moments” (Lenya Heitzig) pg. 17-18 God’s Fingerprints story

Homework: Read Walking by faith down difficult roads and look up the Scripture references listed in it.

Read Walking by faith down difficult roads devotional

Excellent books to read on this subject:
Holy Moments — Recognizing God’s Fingerprints in your Life by Lenya Heitzig; Regal Books, 2006.

Found: God’s Will — Finding the direction and purpose God wants for your life by John MacArthur Jr., Chariot Victor Books, 1977.



Going Deeper with God’s sovereignty: extended optional homework study

It is easy to get into a subject like God’s sovereignty and because we do not understand it fully, we may begin to blame God for our own bad choices, painful circumstances and sinful tendencies (we don’t tend to blame Him for the good stuff). But this perspective reflects a misunderstanding of God, His character, and His Kingdom purposes. Therefore, let’s do a simple “pre-study” that will hopefully guide us in our understanding of God’s sovereignty.
• I recommend reading all verses in New King James Version for this study

Pre-study: In general, you find these principles in Scripture:
1. God loves us! And wants a relationship with us (John 3:16)
2. However, God hates sin and because of His righteousness, must punish it.
(John 3:36; Prov. 6:16-19; Ps. 34:16; Ps. 37:9; Ps. 96:13; Rom. 6:23)
3. God extends mercy and grace to sinners (2 Peter 3:9; 1 Cor. 6:9-11; Rom. 3:21-26; Rom. 5:1-2, 8)
4. If a person or a people disregard God’s love, mercy, grace, and continue to sin — you find passages that show He will powerfully and sovereignly move to chastise or judge those who are prideful, arrogant, and continue in sin. He will work their circumstances against them in order to get their attention — to hopefully bring about repentance — but if not, then judgment. (Hebrews 10:26-31; 2 Peter 2:9; 1 Kings 22)
5. If we heed God’s warnings and repent, with a humble heart — He extends mercy — and begins to work our circumstances for our good. (1 John 1:9; Rom. 8:28; 1 Kings 21:29) The story of the wicked Ninevites in the book of Jonah)

• Read 1 Chronicles 21:1-30; 2 Samuel 24:1-25 (parallel account)
Q. Who influenced David to sin by numbering all Israel?
Q. Who was ultimately behind the scenes orchestrating it all?

• Read 1 Kings 22:19-23, 30-37 and parallel account 2 Chronicles 18:18-22, 28-34
Ahab, in general, was a very wicked king. Read: 1 kings 21:25-26
Q. What killed Ahab?
Q. What influenced Ahab to go into battle?
Q. Who was ultimately behind this?

• Go back to the pre-study and review points 1-5.

• Other verses to read and consider:
Joshua 11:20; Ps. 105:23-26; Deut. 2:30; Exod. 4:21; 1 Sam. 2:25; Judges 9:23-24; 2 Thess. 2:9-12; Isaiah 19:14; 2 Kings 19:6-7