Whether or not you’re a believer you’ve probably heard of the concept known as providence.
I’d heard of the term of course, but hadn’t thought of it until recently.
The Calvinists are big on Providence, and I’m sure there are others, but the highly intelligent and verbose preacher Douglas Wilson out of Moscow Idaho is the one who reminded me of this very important concept.
It’s a concept that is decidedly biblical and decidedly advantageous when fighting the enemies that use their battering rams (media, politicians, even family members) against us night and day.
And it’s a concept that is vital when it comes to doing what you’re supposed to be doing for the Kingdom of God.
I know, you’re probably asking yourself “what in the world is this girl talking about?”
Hear me out…
The constant barrage of bad news and pontificating by countless liars and enemies of your soul can wear you down, but only if you let it. And only if you forget the truth of Providence.
Dictionary.com defines Providence as:
- (often initial capital letter) the foreseeing care and guidance of God or nature over the creatures of the earth.
- (initial capital letter) God, especially when conceived as omnisciently directing the universe and the affairs of humankind with wise benevolence.
- a manifestation of divine care or direction.
- provident or prudent management of resources; prudence.
- foresight; provident care.
I like definition number 3.
Often, the very things that we hate, that we scream and shout and say are “evil” – which no doubt they are, if we’re Christians and have the Truth in us – have been allowed to happen through Providence.
It may seem crazy, but if you know that God has providentially placed you in such a time and place as this…if you know that He loves you and wants the best for you (what He says is best, not that you think is best)…then you can really rejoice in the trials that you’re facing right now as well as those that will be coming.
No, that doesn’t mean you LIKE what’s happening and/or what is happening to you, but you ACCEPT that God will use these things to accomplish His will…Providentially!
You were not born at this point in time by accident.
God did not put you at this point in time because He wants you to fail.
Submit yourself to Him and His will and you will accomplish all that He has assigned to you.
His Grace is sufficient to carry you – all of us who love Him and His Word – through each and every trial.
Not only that, but when you remember Providence, you’ll have the Joy of the Lord, which is your Strength…what you’ll need to get through.
But are we to just lay down and take it?
Are we to let ourselves be steamrolled, our God given liberties stripped away from us without so much as a whimper?
No.
The Enemy of our souls has set a trap – many traps, actually – for us, and we’re not to be swift to shed blood.
But, self-defense, when necessary, is absolutely a God given right…even to the point, God help us, of bloodshed.
God has given us the weapons we need to fight, but are we using them?
I’ve got a lot more to say, but still need to organize my thoughts. In the meantime, here’s something you’ll probably enjoy if you love God and Truth (but I repeat myself…). 🙂
Why We’re Where We’re At…Providentially Speaking
The reason this happened is because our evangelical sentries had become creatures of intellectual fashions of thought instead of students of the Word and the world in the light of that Word. They had been educated by our institutions of higher respectable thought which are in effect just hot tubs of intellectual fashion.
Douglas Wilson, Preacher of Righteousness
A Black and White Show 