Divine Providence Series Part 2: Dark Providence

Amen. Amen. We are starting back today, continuing on with our series on divine providence. We've had the first in that series about two weeks ago, and I just want to briefly review, just in case you haven't heard that or don't remember, what we're talking about when we talk about these concepts of sovereignty and miracles and providence.

Sovereignty means that God is in charge. He is King of Kings. He's Lord of Lords. Nothing happens in this world that he doesn't know about. He is all-knowing. So when we talk about sovereignty, we talk about his control. Miracles are when God interferes with natural law to bring about his will. For example, if someone is dying of a terminal illness and is healed, that's a miracle. Providence, on the other hand, is how God works things out to bring about His perfect plan. Today, we're talking about the subject of a dark providence.

We all have things in our life that don't go the way we would like them to. Sometimes people do things to us, sometimes we do things to ourselves, but God sees all and works each and every one of those things out to bring about his perfect will. We delve into the hymn "God Moves in a Mysterious Way," emphasizing the line "behind a frowning providence, he hides a smiling face."

Providence means to see beforehand. Everything that happens to you today is under God's control. Providence is the marvelous working out of God by which all the events in the universe accomplish the purpose that he has in mind. The plan of God extends to every detail in your life. God's plan is perfect, exhaustive, and for your ultimate good. While God's revealed will is found in the word of God, his secret will is found in how providence brings about these things into our life.

We need to observe different kinds of providences: uncommon providences, such as miracles, and common providences, like a refreshing rain. There are great providences like the crossing of the Red Sea and small providences like a king not being able to sleep at night. There are favorable or smiling providences, and there are dark, cross, or frowning providences. Even in adversity, God is in charge. Suffering is a normal part of Christian life, and it has certain purposes. It tries us, exposes our sins, builds character, brings us to know God better, produces fruit in our lives, and leads us to make God our all and to prepare us for glory.

If you're going through some tough times, don't think that these things are punishment. Think that these things are God's way of bringing you to a closer relationship with him.

Let's pray. Father, I thank you for the truth of dark providences. Lord, may we trust in you, regardless of whether the sun is shining or the sky is raining, God, regardless of our circumstances. May we trust in you, knowing that behind every frowning providence is your smile. We bless you and we thank you in the name of Christ. Amen and amen.