Where's God?
Have you ever wondered if God is only present when we call on Him, stepping aside at other times to leave us to our own paths? Or do you sometimes feel that He only intervenes after events unfold? I’ve thought about this too.
I believe God is always at work, guiding us within His will—not just for those who believe, but also in the lives of those who don’t yet know Him. Everything that happens aligns with His purposes.
When difficult times come, it’s often hard to understand how they fit into God’s will. But I don’t believe God brings hardships to harm us or to punish us for not being perfect. Our lives, as God sees them, have already been fully known, and within that understanding, I believe He makes adjustments along our path, shaping circumstances to yield what’s best for us. How could that person happen to be there when you needed food, or a place to stay, or money at just the right time? How did someone so special enter your life from across the world? How did a book or message reach you precisely when you needed it most? And how often have we looked back to realize that what seemed like misfortune at the time turned out to be for our good?
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Here are a few Bible verses that resonate with these thoughts:
Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) > "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Romans 8:28 (NIV) > "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV) > "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."
Isaiah 55:8-9 (NIV) > "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."
Psalm 37:23-24 (NIV) > "The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand."
These verses emphasize God's sovereignty, His plans for our good, and the importance of trusting in His guidance, even when we don't fully understand His ways.
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There are several Bible verses that suggest God works in the lives of unbelievers as well:
Matthew 5:45 (NIV) > "He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous."
Acts 14:16-17 (NIV) > "In the past, he let all nations go their own way. Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy."
Romans 2:4 (NIV) > "Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?"
Jonah 3:10 (NIV) > "When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened."
These verses highlight that God's grace and actions extend beyond believers, showing His kindness and patience to all people, with the hope that they might come to know Him.
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New International Version
Praise to the Lord
25 Lord, you are my God;
I will exalt you and praise your name,
for in perfect faithfulness
you have done wonderful things,
things planned long ago.
2 You have made the city a heap of rubble,
the fortified town a ruin,
the foreigners’ stronghold a city no more;
it will never be rebuilt.
3 Therefore strong peoples will honor you;
cities of ruthless nations will revere you.
4 You have been a refuge for the poor,
a refuge for the needy in their distress,
a shelter from the storm
and a shade from the heat.
For the breath of the ruthless
is like a storm driving against a wall
5 and like the heat of the desert.
You silence the uproar of foreigners;
as heat is reduced by the shadow of a cloud,
so the song of the ruthless is stilled.
6 On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare
a feast of rich food for all peoples,
a banquet of aged wine—
the best of meats and the finest of wines.
7 On this mountain he will destroy
the shroud that enfolds all peoples,
the sheet that covers all nations;
8 he will swallow up death forever.
The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears
from all faces;
he will remove his people’s disgrace
from all the earth.
The Lord has spoken.
25 Lord, you are my God;
I will exalt you and praise your name,
for in perfect faithfulness
you have done wonderful things,
things planned long ago.
2 You have made the city a heap of rubble,
the fortified town a ruin,
the foreigners’ stronghold a city no more;
it will never be rebuilt.
3 Therefore strong peoples will honor you;
cities of ruthless nations will revere you.
4 You have been a refuge for the poor,
a refuge for the needy in their distress,
a shelter from the storm
and a shade from the heat.
For the breath of the ruthless
is like a storm driving against a wall
5 and like the heat of the desert.
You silence the uproar of foreigners;
as heat is reduced by the shadow of a cloud,
so the song of the ruthless is stilled.
6 On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare
a feast of rich food for all peoples,
a banquet of aged wine—
the best of meats and the finest of wines.
7 On this mountain he will destroy
the shroud that enfolds all peoples,
the sheet that covers all nations;
8 he will swallow up death forever.
The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears
from all faces;
he will remove his people’s disgrace
from all the earth.
The Lord has spoken.
9 In that day they will say,
“Surely this is our God;
we trusted in him, and he saved us.
This is the Lord, we trusted in him;
let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”
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