Acceptance of God’s
Sovereign Will
“But now he is dead; why should I fast?
Can I bring him back again? I
shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.” (2 Samuel 12:23)
Have you ever prayed fervently for God to work a miracle in
someone’s life, certain that He would answer and glorify Himself by healing
them, only to have your prayer go seemingly unanswered? Maybe you rallied prayer support from every
prayer warrior that you knew and fasted repeatedly in an effort to receive
favor from God in your situation. You
knew in your heart that God could do exceedingly and abundantly more than you
were asking. And yet the answer was
“NO.” How did you react?
Were you angry with God, disappointed, or
even grieved beyond words? It’s
relatively easy for us to quote Romans 8:28 and say, “And we know that all
things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the
called according to His purpose” to a friend or loved one in pain. But what will you way when God says, “NO”?
King David loved God and knew how to approach Him. The psalms are filled with heartfelt dialog
on behalf of himself and others. And in
this instance, the life of his own child was at stake. David prayed with all that he could muster,
to the point that his friends and advisors were visibly worried about the
outcome. And yet God said, “NO.” Those around him feared his reaction, to the
point that they were afraid to reveal the truth to him. And yet David’s acceptance of God’s sovereign
will was indicative of his love for Him and faith in His character.
How about you? If it
hasn’t yet occurred, there will more likely come a time in your life when God
says “NO.” How will you react? Will you, like David, wash your face, comb
your hair, and move on with life? Or
will you stomp your feet and complain about the unfairness of life? What you do will tell you something about
your own heart and how much you really trust the character and sovereignty of
your Father in heaven. – Chaplain Jim Freed is the Director of Men’s Addiction
Recovery Ministry at America’s Keswick
Team YOU: 2 Chronicles 30-31;
Proverbs 8; John 18:1-18
Motivations: Every spending decision is a
spiritual decision. J. C. Ryle
Practice to Remember:
Level 1: Ephesians
6:18; Level 2: Ephesians
6:21-24
Powered Up: Prayer is the Living Word in lips of faith.
E.W. Kenyon
