God's Providence
Journal entry. Early morning 2.37AM. 8th of April. Book study.
The providence of God is highly irregular to the world, and oftentimes even to His church. But what we conceive as self-centered creatures to be a disadvantage, God uses for His glory. There is nothing that happens that is not for that very purpose.
Men will readily nod in agreement to this, but their prayer concerns speak differently of a God who is not aware of what happens to His children. We half believe in God's providence only to the point that it is beneficial to us. We believe His providence when it blesses us, but then ask to remove all and every instance of it, when it weighs us down. We bless God for common grace, and rightfully so, but question His hand when common life is disturbed. We question His hand when good people are brought low, and evil people are exalted. It seems to be out of order when the very people of God languish in sickness, afflictions, and poverty - yet we acknowledge at the same time that God's providence in that very act humbles and purifies His children farther from the world. To fleece them therewith. Still, we find it difficult to reconcile what we profess and what we practice. Dear Watson said, Better is the loss that makes them humble, than the success that makes them proud.
God's afflictions magnify His graces for His children. It exercises both their faith and their patience. Faith is nowhere seen in times of prosperity and comfort, and prayers are often muffled by busyness. Yes, sadly even in ministry, where we measure God's favor of it by His blessings, not by its trials. Thus it behooves the LORD to afflict His children betimes, to which they find it strange that the more they walk in righteousness, they are moreover stricken and troubled. To the world, this is out of order, but to God, it is of greater glory for His name to create in them greater needs, greater helplessness, and greater weakness. He permits the afflictions of His children because He will bring good out of it.
God's holy decree to glorify His name is not dependent on man's understanding. It can be safely said, that we still will not understand everything there is to know about God even at the moment when we enter into glory. No man enters into the heavenly with a perfect understanding of God. Only then will we truly find where we were wrong in what we believe.
But what of evil men? What possible tie does the providence of God have with them? God's providence raises evil, not to destroy His children, but to magnify His glory. It is good for God to exalt the worst of men if only to strengthen His children. Evil men have been known time and again to refine and purify His church, thereby doing good, however, opposed they are to it. God has ordained the wicked, among other purposes, to correct His children. "O Lord, you have appointed them to execute judgment. O Rock, you have ordained them to punish." Habbakuk 1.12. Dear Watson puts it, As the wheat is indebted to the thrashing of it to separate it from the chaff, as the iron is indebted to the file to sharpen it, so too are the godly indebted to the wicked to brighten their graces. And so, God's providence wisely exalts them to be rich in this world and full of earthly comforts. "He allowed all nations to walk in their ways." Acts 14.16. God does not author men's sins, but He permits it, only because He can bring good out of it.
The providence of God is highly irregular to the world, and oftentimes even to His church. But what we conceive as self-centered creatures to be a disadvantage, God uses for His glory. There is nothing that happens that is not for that very purpose.
Men will readily nod in agreement to this, but their prayer concerns speak differently of a God who is not aware of what happens to His children. We half believe in God's providence only to the point that it is beneficial to us. We believe His providence when it blesses us, but then ask to remove all and every instance of it, when it weighs us down. We bless God for common grace, and rightfully so, but question His hand when common life is disturbed. We question His hand when good people are brought low, and evil people are exalted. It seems to be out of order when the very people of God languish in sickness, afflictions, and poverty - yet we acknowledge at the same time that God's providence in that very act humbles and purifies His children farther from the world. To fleece them therewith. Still, we find it difficult to reconcile what we profess and what we practice. Dear Watson said, Better is the loss that makes them humble, than the success that makes them proud.
God's afflictions magnify His graces for His children. It exercises both their faith and their patience. Faith is nowhere seen in times of prosperity and comfort, and prayers are often muffled by busyness. Yes, sadly even in ministry, where we measure God's favor of it by His blessings, not by its trials. Thus it behooves the LORD to afflict His children betimes, to which they find it strange that the more they walk in righteousness, they are moreover stricken and troubled. To the world, this is out of order, but to God, it is of greater glory for His name to create in them greater needs, greater helplessness, and greater weakness. He permits the afflictions of His children because He will bring good out of it.
God's holy decree to glorify His name is not dependent on man's understanding. It can be safely said, that we still will not understand everything there is to know about God even at the moment when we enter into glory. No man enters into the heavenly with a perfect understanding of God. Only then will we truly find where we were wrong in what we believe.
But what of evil men? What possible tie does the providence of God have with them? God's providence raises evil, not to destroy His children, but to magnify His glory. It is good for God to exalt the worst of men if only to strengthen His children. Evil men have been known time and again to refine and purify His church, thereby doing good, however, opposed they are to it. God has ordained the wicked, among other purposes, to correct His children. "O Lord, you have appointed them to execute judgment. O Rock, you have ordained them to punish." Habbakuk 1.12. Dear Watson puts it, As the wheat is indebted to the thrashing of it to separate it from the chaff, as the iron is indebted to the file to sharpen it, so too are the godly indebted to the wicked to brighten their graces. And so, God's providence wisely exalts them to be rich in this world and full of earthly comforts. "He allowed all nations to walk in their ways." Acts 14.16. God does not author men's sins, but He permits it, only because He can bring good out of it.
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