I read something today and one little line stood out to me above all the others:

“We do not have a sometimes sovereign God.”

I know that word can scare people, but it shouldn’t. It just means “in control.” We do believe that, don’t we? Either God is in control, or He isn’t God. If He were not sovereign, He would be no different than any other god made by men’s hands and would have no bearing on our lives.

But aren’t there times we act as though He is only in control over certain things, or only sometimes sovereign? I’ve been confronted with this question over the last few days: Do I truly believe God is sovereign over all things in my life? 

Do I, down in the deep parts of my heart, firmly believe that my Heavenly Father is in control of all the details of my life…and still admit that He is good, not just to you, but to me? 

My quick answer would have been of course I believe that! Yes, God is in control and He is good to me! But upon close examination of the dusty corners of my heart, I’m not so sure. …Not that I am unsure of God’s character, but unsure that my fervent acknowledgment of this fact would be deeper than a shaking of the head or words spoken from my lips. Does my heart really believe that?

It is easy for me to state and believe that God is in control. Because I believe the Bible is the Word of God and it says He not only created all things, but is the reigning King over all things, I know that He is sovereign and in control of all things, even me.

It is also easy for me to state and believe that God is good. His Word is full of stories that are evidence of His goodness. Not only that, but our lives – our ability to walk, talk, move, breathe, exist – and the world around us are evidence of His goodness.

The problem arises when things happen we don’t like, when God allows things that cause us pain. He’s in control, yes, and we know He’s good…but is He good to me? When what He is allowing hurts and I can’t see the good, is it still there?

Friend, let me assure you as God has recently been reassuring me, it’s there. Even in the hurt, through the hard days, during the worst pain you could possibly imagine, God is still good to you. 

Have you ever been to the doctor with a cut or a bite that had gotten infected? The only way to clean it out so it could heal was for the doctor to cause more pain. He has to cut away and clean the infected area. That doesn’t feel good. It hurts…but that is what will make it better. Without the intervention of the physician, the infection would spread and hope would be lost. He is being a good doctor to do what is necessary, even if it hurts.

Our God is not sometimes sovereign or only sometimes good. He is in control over the little things as well as the big things, over the easy things as well as the hard things, over the smiles and over the tears. He is not in any way a “Sometimes” God. He is an “Always, in All Things” God.

This has been a rough week for us. We’ve had some disappointments and I’ve had some really hard days. When confronted with the question, “Is God still good to me,” I’m ashamed to admit that my faith faltered for a moment. Thankfully, it did not take too long before God reminded me of the truth my heart knows so well: My Always, in All Things God is still so, so good…to me.

And Friend, no matter what, He’s still good to you too. 💚