God Is Sovereign.
so joyfully submit to His will.
"Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom; You are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from You; You are the ruler of all things. In Your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all" (1 Chronicles 29:11, 12, NIV).
God is the sovereign ruler of the universe. There is no higher authority. Our great God possesses every ability He needs to be in absolute control of everything. He is all-powerful, so no one can force Him to do anything against His will. He is present everywhere, so no one can hide from Him or escape His scrutiny. He is all-knowing, so there is nothing about which He is unaware.
Nothing occurs without His divine permission. God commands the forces of nature and uses them to achieve His divine purposes. He established the scientific laws that regulate the universe, and only He can overrule their effect. Even Satan and his legions of evil spirits can operate only within limits prescribed by God.
God also sovereignly directs people, circumstances, and events. Daniel explains, "[God] determines the course of world events; He removes kings and sets others on the throne" (Daniel 2:21). Without God's sustaining providence, none of us could live another day. "The life of every living thing is in His hand, and the breath of all humanity" (Job 12:10).
Do you feel overwhelmed by circumstances? Be encouraged: Your loving God is still in control, and He is sovereignly directing your life. Proverbs 19:21 states, "You can make many plans, but the Lord's purpose will prevail."
In fact, difficulties and suffering are tools in God's sovereign hands with which He shapes you into the image of Jesus Christ. The Bible promises, "God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them" (Romans 8:28).
Our sovereign God is actively directing His creation on a course that has been charted before the beginning of time. But within the context of His master plan, He gives all of us the freedom to choose how we will participate. Will you choose to cooperate with Him?
"I know, O Lord, that a man's life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps" (Jeremiah 10:23, NIV).