“And he [Herod] killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also.” – Acts 12:2-3
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, who are the called according to His purpose.” – Romans 8:28
What do you do in times of crisis? One thing we all must do, before we panic or sin against God, is respect the mystery of God’s providence.
Throughout the pages of His Word, you’re going to see the hidden hand of God…working in mysterious ways, in inexplicable ways. God is in the shadows arranging things, moving things people cannot see. That may be true in your life right now. God is working, but you cannot see Him working.
You may be in the middle of chaos right now. Nothing seems to be making sense. Everything you thought you had nailed down is coming loose, and the devil is pulling nails as fast as he can.
Just because it doesn’t make sense to you doesn’t mean it doesn’t make sense. Many of us have questions. As we look at Acts chapter 12, we say, “Well, how could God let a rascal like Herod be the king anyway? Isn’t God, God? If I were God, I’d turn him into a frog. And why should James be killed and Peter released? Does God have favorites? Has God lost control?”
Friend, you must grasp this important truth, or you will live your life floundering. We do not live by explanations. Life is not a problem to be solved; it is a mystery to be lived. Sometimes we must back off and simply see what I call the hidden hand of God. Just because you cannot see today the hand of God working doesn’t mean God is not working.—Adrian Rogers
