I Don't Want to Just Wait For Things to Get Better

Since I know about God’s providence, I am able to pray. 

If God did not rule, there would be no use for prayer. 

• It would be futile, worthless. 
• Yet since I know that God rules all things, 
• I can ask Him for help in all situations.

The doctrine of God’s providence 

• should make me patient in times of difficulty. 
• Patience in such times means more than just waiting for things to get better. 
• Patience means trusting that even these difficult times will turn to my advantage. 

This means that I willingly accept adversity 

• because God sends it for my advantage. 
• Whenever I grumble or complain in times of adversity, 
• I display a lack of trust in God’s providential care over me. 
• How that must grieve my most gracious Father.

The doctrine of God’s providence 

• should also make me thankful in times of prosperity. 
• This thankfulness is more than just being happy or joyous. 
• It is possible to be happy in one’s prosperity 
• without even thinking about God’s providence behind it or thanking God for it. 

Furthermore, I must continue to trust in God in these times of prosperity. 

• It is all too easy to forget about my dependency upon God, 
• and think that I have things in my own control.

This doctrine of providence 

• should also give me a confident hope about my eternal security. 
• There is nothing in all of creation, 
• whether physical forces or spiritual forces 
• which can separate me from the love of God, 
• for God governs both the physical as well as the spiritual realm of creation. 

Paul wrote eloquently of his confidence for the future: 

• “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, 
• nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 
• nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, 
• shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” 
• (Romans 8:38,39).

Adapted Excerpt From Van Delden's Only By True Faith