Tag: God’s Sovereignty

Joy in Every CircumstanceBased on Acts 28:16-31

Paul’s time under house arrest in Rome paints a vivid picture of joy in the midst of adversity. Bound to a soldier, living on his own resources, and awaiting a trial that could end in his execution, Paul’s circumstances were far from ideal. Yet, rather than despairing, Paul seized the opportunity to preach the Gospel, teach visitors, and encourage believers through his letters.

Paul’s joy wasn’t dependent on his freedom or comfort. It flowed from his deep understanding of God’s sovereignty. When he first faced imprisonment, Jesus Himself assured Paul that he would testify in Rome (Acts 23:11). Now in Rome, Paul trusted that he was exactly where God wanted him to be.

This kind of joy is rooted in the conviction that God is working through every situation, even the ones that seem like setbacks. Paul’s house arrest allowed him to witness to Roman guards, welcome all who came to him, and write letters that continue to shape the Church today. His chains became tools for the Gospel.

We often struggle to see how our difficult circumstances fit into God’s plan. It’s easy to focus on what we lack or the obstacles in our path. But Paul’s example reminds us that God can use any situation for His purposes. The places where we feel stuck or constrained might be the very places God wants to work through us most powerfully.

What would it look like to trust that God has you where He needs you, right now? To find joy in knowing that even your struggles can serve His purposes? Perhaps it’s a challenging workplace, a difficult relationship, or a season of waiting. Wherever you are, God can use you to do what He has for you, just as He did with Paul.

Paul’s joy wasn’t denial of his hardships—it was a confident assurance that God’s plan was unfolding, even in his imprisonment. That same assurance is available to us. Let’s ask for the grace to see our circumstances through God’s eyes and the courage to serve Him faithfully, wherever we find ourselves.

My Will Be Done, or Thy Will Be Done?

In John 12:37-50, we find Jesus quoting Isaiah 6:10, a passage where God says He will “blind their eyes and harden their hearts” so that they will not understand or turn to Him. On first glance, it sounds as though God is actively working to prevent people from believing. But as we dig deeper, a richer perspective emerges—one where human freedom and God’s sovereign plan are in a perfect, if mysterious, harmony.

I firmly believe all things happen under God’s design, but this doesn’t mean God coerces every choice or action. Instead, God knows every possible outcome—all the ways a free creature might respond in any given circumstance. He orchestrates the world in such a way that His purposes are fulfilled, but human choices are genuinely free. This view helps us understand Jesus’ reference to Isaiah. The passage wasn’t about God “forcing” people to resist belief. Rather, it was about His awareness of their hearts and how His message would be received given their predispositions.

See, in Isaiah, the people’s blindness wasn’t manufactured by God; it was the result of a longstanding resistance to His message. By the time Jesus was teaching, the religious leaders and many others had spent years ignoring God’s call to genuine worship and repentance. Jesus’ use of Isaiah’s words acknowledges that these people would continue to resist, not because God forced them to but because they chose to close their hearts. God’s sovereignty allowed Him to use even their resistance to further His plans.

We might think of it like this: God’s will is broad enough to encompass both the willing and the unwilling, the faithful and the resistant. When someone continually resists, God may allow them to experience the consequences of their choice, but that choice is theirs. It is this deep respect for freedom that underscores the entire message of Jesus in the Gospels. He offers salvation, but He doesn’t coerce it.

Jesus’ example shows us how divine sovereignty and human freedom work together. Every time we choose to follow Him, we participate in God’s grand design, bringing His purposes to fruition in the world. The key difference lies in whose will we are choosing to follow. Will it be our will, with all its limitations and potential missteps, or will it be His will, which is perfect and ultimately fulfilling?

The question, “My will be done, or Thy will be done?” is one we face every day. Like those who encountered Jesus, we each have the choice to turn toward God and align with His purposes, allowing Him to work through us. Though we’re free to choose otherwise, God’s invitation remains open—a gracious reminder that His will is always toward life, restoration, and purpose.