God's Hand in Hindsight

A Realization

 

During a normal family devotional time we were discussing contentment and discontentment. As I listened to the discussion I realized our discontentment was against God. No matter the situation, husband, children, family, job or where you live, the truth of discontentment is questioning a sovereign God. "Why, What, When..."

As I sat forgiving my family and as they forgave me for the discontentment toward one another, I realized God's hand in my life once again.

 

A Story

Earlier on this day my father had visited us. After he was there for a while he began to share with my older son about his life and choices that brought severe consequences. You see my father grew up in Hawaii, and the year he graduated high school his parents and siblings headed to the mainland. To be exact they moved to a small town in Washington (where I would be born and raise my children), but my father stayed behind with no intention of moving with his family.

He stated to my son that he was a delinquent as a teen who didn't listen to his parents. Long story short, as an adult he landed himself in jail with only one way to get out: a police escort to the airport to board a plane heading to the mainland to his parents in Washington. As I listened to my father's story, all the facts didn't matter. What I heard was "do you see My hand? I am your God: a sovereign God." You see, God brought my father to Washington...and I am here and my children are here because of that: "For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb (Psa 139:13)."

 

Horrible Circumstances? Great God!

 

He, my Heavenly Father, has a plan for you and me that spans the generations. I will trust that He is sovereign and will work out that plan--even through troubling circumstances. Forcing this severe consequence upon my father's life of leaving Hawaii is where God's will in my life began.

"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. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined [to be] conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified (Rom 8:28-30)."

God's supreme, preeminent and undisputable authority is seen all around us. Take the time to see His sovereignty in your own life.  "Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, And He who formed you from the womb: "I [am] the LORD, who makes all [things], Who stretches out the heavens all alone, Who spreads abroad the earth by Myself (Isa 44:24)."

By Patty W.

Mrs. W. is the able helpmeet to her husband, Brad, and the joyful mother of four wonderful children: Uriah, Aidan, Iliana, and Olin. When she's not homeschooling or organizing (you should see her closets!) or encouraging the women around her or cooking (you're missing out!) or opening her house up for hospitality or nursing baby Olin, she's probably finding deals on Craigslist and at garage sales or coaching volleyball. The rest of us can only wonder when she sleeps...

 

Photo Credit: Jack Fussel

New King James Version, © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.