Experiencing God's Presence #263

Experiencing God's Presence #263

He will do to me whatever he has planned. He controls my destiny.

Job 23:14

This statement of faith can be either extremely comforting or extremely terrifying. To Job, it was the latter. He was in a difficult season, and his pleas had not moved God. From all appearances, God’s plans would continue on this dreadful course for the foreseeable future. Job’s destiny appeared unalterably headed in a frightening direction.

When we’re in a season of abundance and promise, Job’s declaration is exactly what we want to hear. A hope-filled soul is delighted that God will follow through on His plans and unswervingly control a destiny. We want to know that nothing can thwart His good purposes, that He is keeping us from evil influences and calamitous events. If “whatever he has planned” is positive and in line with our desires, nothing could be more encouraging than His sovereignty.

It’s important for our attitude toward God’s sovereignty to be influenced by hope regardless of the season we’re in. That’s easy when we’ve been seeing the encouraging side of God, but it’s profoundly difficult when His goodness has been obscured by a dark season like Job’s. Our sense of destiny is only inspiring to us when we fully trust God’s goodness. Otherwise, it can be a source of dread.

Expect good things from God—even when you haven’t seen many of them lately. Know that He has given you a future and a hope. Let that hope, no matter how hard it is to envision, fill your heart with anticipation. However things look today, the future—your God-ordained future designed by His sovereign purposes—is bright.

Lord, fill my vision with hope—the expectation of goodness from Your hand. You’ve given promises and offered hope even when I can’t see what’s ahead. Help me walk in the good purposes You’ve planned for me.