After not being able to preach last Sunday(3-17-24) I was frustrated and Satan did everything he could to discourage me.So I had to do what the Psalmist did. I had a talk with myself. I had to remind myself of something we should never forget. As a result of my conversation with myself I wrote the following that afternoon. I hope you will carefully consider what I say and pray that I will practice what I preach.
Just as God denied David’s desire to build the temple, we aren’t always able or allowed to do what we want to do. We’re not as smart as we think we are. I say that because although the providence of God is perfect it isn’t always what we prefer. Sometimes our desire is different than God’s decree. We think because we want to do something that’s good we ought to be able to do it. It’s as though we think we have a better idea than God’s plan. We don’t say that because it would sound terrible, but we feel it. So instead of saying it, we generally sell ourselves on it by thinking we are justified in feeling as we do. That’s why God often gets blamed for things when the real problem is that we don’t understand.
The truth is, although we can’t always understand the providence of God, we ought to trust Him and accept what He allows or appoints. Nothing happens by chance. All is under the control of the Creator. It is true of things large and small, or major and minor. He who counts the stars in heaven also counts the hairs on our head. Whether it be a birth or death God is in control – even when He puts the brakes on the good things we want to do.
We get confused because we see only in part whereas God sees the whole. We focus on time, but God has eternity in view. And for the child of God in the will of God, that which brings great hurt now will eventually bring glorious happiness. God is not going to give me the same healthy body I had when I started preaching nearly 58 years ago, but I can rejoice in knowing He will reward me for being willing to do what I did then. When I forget that I tend to get frustrated. I love to preach because that’s what called me to do, but I’m still trying to learn that sometimes I must sit on the sidelines for a while and that eventually my ministry will come to an end.
So regardless of your circumstances, remember that they are all controlled by divine providence. Out of the depths of His infinite wisdom, impartial goodness, and incredible love God decrees this or that for the best. Nations rise and fall, people come and go, we experience both pleasure and pain, and all are the products of providence. God sees the end from the beginning and acts in accordance to the perfection of His good pleasure. That means that sometimes our plans are changed and our desires are denied. I plan to preach this coming Sunday, but if I can’t it will be because God changed my plans and I need to accept it without complaint. I pray that you will learn from my failure.
Therefore let us remember or realize that God’s will is always right, best, and safest. His ways, although sometimes confusing to us, are the only means to a good and glorious end. What looks like a detour or a dead end to us is actually a door through which we, sooner or later, discover great delight. We might not live to see the end result of our troubles and trials, but in eternity we shall see that they were for man’s good and God’s glory.
We don’t always need to know the reason for what happens. Just knowing there is a reason, a good reason, should be reason enough to calm our troubled hearts. God knows it is best that we don’t know, and if we are wise we will trust Him. Seeing providence as preferable is profitable because it produces peace! Whether or not I am able to preach Sunday is up to God. Either way, God’s got this and I am determined to accept it without getting discouraged. By His grace I plan to preach as well as I can, as often as I can, as long as I can. But God alone knows what tomorrow holds. THINK ABOUT IT,- HDS
David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
Humble, Tx
