Praising God in the Storm

“That is what mortals misunderstand. They say of some temporal suffering, ‘No future bliss can make up for it’ not knowing that Heaven, once attained, will work backwards and turn even that agony into a glory” This quote from C.S. Lewis’ book The Great Divorce sets up an idea that at the end of all things, when all is said and done, the suffering faced by a Christian will be set right and turned into glory. Although this idea is grounded and certainly can be understood with God living outside of our earthly rules of time, the question it raises is that of the passivity of God. First Peter calls the Christian to rejoice in their suffering and at the end of chapter four says: “Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.” After caveating the idea of suffering due to the wages of our sin in the previous verses, Peter finishes with describing the suffering of the Christian as according to God’s will and goes on to speak of entrusting our souls to Him. 

Providence is most often discussed when something good happens, like someone gets pregnant, there’s a marriage or someone finds a good parking space, but does providence not also apply to the trials faced in day to day life? In this paper I will be discussing what exactly the word providence means, it’s relationship to God’s sovereignty, trials, temptations, suffering and the long periods of silence that often accompany life as a Christian. 

Providence and The Sovereignty of God

Providence is a word used many times to talk about what God is doing, how He is working in the Christian’s life or the world as a whole. The Westminster Shorter Catechism gives this explanation of providence: “God’s works of providence are, his most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing all his creatures and all their actions.” There are two different types of providence that the Christian will encounter in life, easy and hard providences. Though both of these accomplish the same outcome, the trail to get there is much different. 

The question which is raised often about sovereignty is whether or not it’s merely semantics or whether it’s actually worthy of discussion. When speaking of theology (especially it’s deeper levels) the general public can tend to opt out or ‘agree to disagree’. This mindset flows from a categorical understanding of theological ideas. Primary issues deal with the salvific knowledge of God and flow from the gospel. Secondary issues, which are those that introduce the law and statutes of the Christian life, deal mainly with the daily life of the Christian. Tertiary and beyond are the eschatological or infra vs. supralapsarian arguments that are engaging for theologians and enthusiasts but unnecessary for everyday men. This system usually places the hard providences and sovereign decrees of God in the tertiary bracket making it only important to nonessential theologies. This could not be further from what the Bible teaches (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The scriptures are God’s revelation of Himself and by emphasizing some of His revealed self above the rest creates a God that is made in our image instead of vice-versa (Romans 1:22).

Almost every Christian affirms (in one way or another) the sovereignty of God. Once this idea of sovereignty is brought into the equation of the Christian life, it in turn, raises many questions. These questions can range from; why does God allow His children to suffer to how could an all powerful and all good God allow evil to exist. The answer to these questions can go one of two ways, God is orchestrating these trials, pain and evil, to serve an ultimate purpose or He allows these things to happen because He desires His creatures to have free-will. The latter of these is easier to understand and explain on a basic level, but what problems does it bring? The free-will argument for evil reduces God’s providential care for His creatures to a mere reactionary work that relies heavily on the creature first doing something, then God responding to that. This human autonomy removes any blame that can be laid on God but in turn makes God distant and non-effective, which contradicts the very nature of sovereignty (Psalm 103:15-19). In Chosen By God, R.C. Sproul says: “If God is sovereign, man cannot possibly be autonomous, if man is autonomous, God cannot possibly be sovereign” (R. C. Sproul, Chosen by God (Grand Rapids, MI: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1994), 42). God’s providence means so much more when His sovereignty is fully understood. John Calvin said about God, “governing heaven and earth by His providence, He so regulates all things that nothing takes place without His deliberation”(John Calvin. Institutes of the Christian Religion (Volume 2). 1559 ed. 2 vols. Philadelphia: Westminster John Knox Press, 1960. 200).  Yes, this may be a difficult idea to grasp, but through wrestling with it we can fully appreciate the role of God’s providence in our lives, both the easy and hard.

Trials and Temptations

One of the most comforting Hymns to address hard providences is How Firm a Foundation by John Rippon. “When through fiery trials your pathway shall lie, my grace all-sufficient shall be your supply; the flame shall not hurt you; I only design your dross to consume and your gold to refine.” While most songs or hymns place God either as a protector from trials or a helping hand in trouble, How Firm a Foundation places the fiery trials within God’s plan and design. If we are to “Count it all Joy” as James said, we must first understand where the trials come from. Charles Hodge speaks of God in this way, “He does what He wills with His own. He gives to some riches, to others honor, to others health, while others poor, unknown, or the victims  of disease… Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight”(Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology (Nabu Press, 2011), 163). Everything we encounter is foreordained by God and is a part of His sovereign plan for our lives, this includes trials of various kinds (Acts 4:28)

The book of James examines in depth the reason for trials. First they produce steadfastness and that steadfastness will in turn be the doorway to completion and perfection for the Christian (James 1:2-4). This would indicate that trials are not only used by God to accomplish a purpose, but are necessary for the spiritual growth of the Christian. With this in mind James calls the believers to count these trials as joys on the road of sanctification. Trials can range from illnesses to disagreements to something as small as not finding a misplaced keys. These are the things that hinder us from accomplishing what we would like to accomplish on a daily basis that would seem at first to destroy our day or even our long-term plans, but in the end are working for our good. One of the many profound prayers from the The Valley of Vision says this, “Let every trial teach me more of thy peace, more of thy love. The Holy Spirit is given to increase thy graces, and I cannot persevere or improve them unless He works continually in me"(Arthur Bennett, ed., The Valley of Vision: a Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions (Edinburgh: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1975), 311).

Accompanying trials in many situations is the idea of temptations. We are tempted in some trials to turn from God, to take matters into our own hands, so if God tries us does He also tempt us? James makes this distinction in His letter, “…God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.  Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” When faced with trials that create sinful temptations, these are a byproduct of the flesh and although it is within God’s plan, He does not tempt anyone to sin. 

Suffering and Silence

We affirm that God is sovereign over all things but in regards to those things which are evil, is God the author of evil?  A theme which flows through the entirety of scripture is that of God’s overwhelming holiness which according to Charles Hodge means, “on the one hand, implies entire freedom from moral evil and, on the other, absolute moral perfection”(Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology (Nabu Press, 2011), 151). If this truly is the case then God is incapable of evil which leads into the permissive will of God.  A.W. Tozer wrote, “In His sovereign wisdom God has permitted evil to exist in carefully restricted areas of His creation, a kind of fugitive outlaw whose activities are temporary and limited in scope"(A. W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy: the Attributes of God, Their Meaning in the Christian Life (San Francisco: HarperOne, 2009), 110). God does not cause evil but He permits it’s existence and uses it to accomplish His purposes, not in a reactionary manner but sovereignly. An example of God’s sovereignty over evil can be seen in the prologue of Job when Satan must ask for God’s permission to inflict evil upon Job’s house. This places God, not as the originator of evil but the one who allows it. The reason a charge cannot be leveled against God for this is because evil is something deserved and inherently within each descendant of Adam and grace is absolutely undeserved. 

In a book called Surprised by Suffering R.C Sproul reflects on the tragedy of 9/11 and people’s reaction to it. “The idea of “senseless tragedy” represents a worldview that is completely incompatible with Christian thought, because it assumes that something happens without a purpose or meaning . But if God is God and if God is a God of providence and if God is sovereign , then nothing ever happens that is senseless in the final analysis”(R. C. Sproul, Surprised by Suffering: the Role of Pain and Death in the Christian Life, Revised, ed. (Lake Mary, Fla.: Reformation Trust Publishing, 2009), 43). There are major tragedies and horror that happen in the world on a daily basis, but if God is sovereign, those things fall under His control and He is faithful to those who are called (1 Thes 5:24).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cY4SJ_aBnY

The book Silence by Shasuko Ends is a story about Catholic missionaries to Japan who encounter no lack of persecution and trial as they try to bring the gospel to this lost nation. As the story progresses the main protagonist reflects on the overwhelming silence of God, “Behind the depressing silence of the sea, the silence of God …. the feeling that while men raise their voices in anguish God remains with folded arms, silent”(Shusaku Endo, Silence: a Novel (Picador Modern Classics), Tra ed. (Picador Modern Classics, 2016), 110). Andrew Peterson also rather eloquently explains this feeling in His song, The Silence of God, “It’s enough to drive a man crazy, it’ll break a man’s faith, It’s enough to make him wonder, if he’s ever been sane. When he’s bleating for comfort from Thy staff and Thy rod And the Heaven’s only answer is the silence of God.”  The silence of God and the feeling of abandonment is one that can be seen throughout scriptures, most notably in the two major silent  periods, the first while Israel was in slavery to Egypt and second between the end of the Old Testament and beginning of the new. Why does God seem to leave His people in times of most need? The best way to answer this questions is to see what God Himself has to say about it. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” God does not work based on our schedule or our idea of how things should be. This truth is not one that should make us fear, but one that should bring us great peace. In Narnia Aslan is spoken of as “He’s wild, you know. Not like a tame lion.” in the same way, God does not bow to our every command, in fact He very often doesn’t give us the answers and outcomes we desire. “Left to ourselves we tend immediately to reduce God to manageable terms. We want Him where we can use Him, or at least know where He is when we need Him. We want a God we can in some measure control"(A. W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy: the Attributes of God, Their Meaning in the Christian Life (San Francisco: HarperOne, 2009), 8). If we are to truly understand the reason for suffering and for God to be silent, we must first admit that we see only a little part of the bigger picture at work. This silent period may just be God readying us for what is to come or as R.C Sproul put it, “when we go to the house of mourning, we go to an environment where our hearts can be equipped with transcendent wisdom"(R. C. Sproul, Surprised by Suffering: the Role of Pain and Death in the Christian Life, Revised, ed. (Lake Mary, Fla.: Reformation Trust Publishing, 2009), 40).

Conclusion

So much of our modern culture, both Christian and secular, is focused on the pursuit of shallow happiness. God’s image and nature gets broken down to very basic and non-interfering ideas such as love or grace with little to no regard for the rest of His attributes. This mindset is made abundantly clear in The New York Times best selling ‘Christian’ novel: The Shack. Apart from probable second commandment violations, W.M. Paul Young presents his reader with a God who is absolutely passive to trials and can only work to hold a hand through them. In a conversation with the main protagonist, god says, “Just because I work incredible good out of unspeakable tragedies doesn't mean I orchestrate the tragedies. Don't ever assume that my using something means that I caused it or that I need it to accomplish my purposes. That will only lead you to false notions about me.” If this idea of God were merely limited to mass-marketed best-sellers, this would be an easily dealt with problem, that is sadly not the case. The Shack merely reflects a lack of biblical education that flows through large portion of the evangelical community.

To correctly understand the hard as well as the easy providences that are faced in the Christian life it’s always a good idea to visit the divinely inspired text that has been given to us (Psalm 119:105). In a world where feelings and philosophical ideals reign supreme, it’s good to rest on the mighty fortress that never fails. God is sovereign, we are limited and praise God for grace and understanding! We may never fully understand the mind of God, but we know that He is strong and He loves His children. “When through the deep waters I call you to go, the rivers of sorrow shall not overflow, for I will be with you in trouble to bless, and sanctify to you your deepest distress"(Committee on Christian Education, Trinity Hymnal (Great Comission Publications, 1961), 80).