“Our trust must be in the sovereign will of God as He works in the ordinary circumstances of our daily lives for our good and His glory.”
Jerry Bridges
God is in the delays and the setbacks. Even though these can be frustrating, and roadblocks are discouraging, trusting God with His timing and His ways is what will get us through. That and giving God thanks. Having a grateful heart and knowing these obstacles and detours are for my own good prevents me from spiraling down into the bottomless pit of self-pity and having a victim mentality. Placing my trust in God’s promises, such as in Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose,” releases a heart of peace.
Reflecting on the life of Joseph in Genesis chapters 37-50 gives me great encouragement. His life started out having his dad’s favor and promising dreams from God. But then it went downhill from there. His brothers rejected and betrayed him, selling him to traveling Midianites. Then God gave Joseph favor and success while serving Potiphar’s household. But Potiphar’s wife falsely accused him and into prison he went. God blessed Joseph with the ability to interpret dreams which led him to oversee the nation of Egypt. Joseph repeatedly experienced cycles of favor and disappointment, all under the sovereign hand of God.
While recently recovering from having Covid and needing to have lots of rest, I had to trust that God was somehow using this for my good, despite feeling overwhelmed by falling behind in what I had hoped to accomplish. It was a process for me to rest in His sovereignty, knowing my heavenly Father always knows what’s best for me. I chose to trust He was storing within me and preparing me for His next assignment during my “forced” rest. At one point I prayed, “Lord, I choose to not become frustrated and to lay down my desires for normalcy to return. I sit back and rest and will let You lead. Thank You for setting this time aside for my body to be restored. I trust this is what’s best for me.”
Just like how God used the setbacks in Joseph’s life to deepen his intimacy with God, to mature him, and conform his character to look more like Jesus, so too God uses the delays in our lives. As we trust in God’s sovereignty, we will see His goodness displayed.
“Those who understand God’s sovereignty have joy even in the midst of suffering, a joy reflected on their very faces, for they see that their suffering is not without purpose.”
R. C. Sproul
Relevant Reflection:
When have you seen God’s goodness while trusting in the sovereignty of God during adversity?