Our God Is Never Surprised

John Bevere, evangelist and author, in his famous book "The Bait of Satan", gave a powerful illustration of how we question if God is really in control. While talking about Joseph being sold by his brothers into slavery, Bevere writes,

"Now do you think that when they sold him [Joseph] as a salve, God in heaven looked at the Son and the Holy Spirit and said, "What are We going to do now? Look at what his brothers have done. They have ruined Our plan for Joseph. We had better think of something quick! Do We have an alternate plan?" Many Christians respond to crisis situations as if this is exactly what transpires in heaven... It sounds absurd, yet the way we react insinuates that this is the way we view God."

It is a funny yet deeply convicting illustration. Have you ever felt completely shocked or lost after receiving horrible news? Maybe you just found out about a health diagnosis? Maybe you are thinking back to when you found out that you lost your job? Maybe you're remembering the moment you found out that you lost a dearly loved one. What were the thoughts that went through your mind in those moments and the time following?

I read the illustration by John Bevere while a family member was walking through an extremely difficult season filled with unimaginable pain, distress, suffering and what felt like non-stop unexpected bad news. Almost every single day we would get one bad news after another from the doctors. Some of the news so utterly and completely devastating that we were left stunned and in complete disbelief that this is actually happening. Life felt completely out of control - with no end in sight to the suffering. Everything felt like it was falling apart.

After learning of one particularly shocking bad news, I remember standing stunned and wondering, "How in the world are you going to work through this, Lord?"

Maybe you have walked through a similar season in the past where you got news of something that just completely threw you off? Maybe you just received some life-altering news? Maybe you too are still reeling from news so crippling, so devastating that it has literally shook your entire world. Or maybe its not one specific situation. Maybe its months or years even of battling stuff where things have gotten so bad or reached such a far point where you wonder how can God ever be able to bring good out of something so far gone and something so lost?

In all of these situations, one of the underlying questions we all face is whether we truly trust that God is in control.

We as Christians say that we believe that God is good and that He is in control.

But when our lives turn upside down, that's when our faith is truly tested.

Do we really believe all that we say we believe?

Or are they just nice words to live by when life is good and happy.

When our world comes crashing down, do we really believe that God is in control and that He is good?

Joseph's brothers thought they were in control when they tried to get rid of their brother. However, God was the one in control. And He is GOOD.

Genesis 50:20

"You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people."

In the midst of deep pain and sorrow, let us continue to cling to the hope that we profess.

Let us never forget that no matter how impossible our circumstances look and despite how completely shattered we feel, God is not taken by surprise by any of it.

God is in control and is completely sovereign over every situation in our lives.

And if we are believing children of God, then we can rest in the knowledge that He IS indeed working it all out for His glory and our good.

Not our limited human definition of good (Isaiah 55:8-9).

But His heavenly, eternal perspective of good.

We are called to fix our eyes on Him and not on all the things crumbling around us and beneath us (Hebrews 12:1-3).

Our entire world might be falling apart. But dear friend, the Creator and Sustainer of the entire universe has asked us to not be afraid (Psalm 46:1-3).

We are called to fix our eyes on Him and trust Him.

He is not surprised. He is in control. He has a plan and a purpose. He is good.

God sees and knows the deep anguish of your heart

(Psalm 55, Psalm 31:7, Psalm 56:8, Exodus 3:7, 2 Kings 20:5, Matthew 10:29-31).

He sees you

(Genesis 16:13).

He is with you

(Psalm 23:4, Joshua 1:9, Isaiah 41:10, Isaiah 43:2).

He is for you

(Psalm 118:5-6, Psalm 34:4-5, Psalm 56:9, Psalm 27:1-3, Exodus 14:14, Romans 8:31).

He will never forsake you

(Deuteronomy 31:6, Hebrews 13:5).

He is in control

(Job 42:2, Isaiah 45:5-9, Proverbs 16:33, Psalm 103:19, Proverbs 16:9).

He is working it all out

(Romans 8:28).

Trust in Him

(Hebrews 11:1, Philippians 4:6-7, John 14:27, Proverbs 3:5-6, Psalm 56:3-4, Jeremiah 17:7-8, Psalm 20:7, Psalm 9:10, Psalm 28:7, Isaiah 26:3).

Hold onto Him

(Hebrews 10:23, John 15:5, 2 Chronicles 15:7, Hebrews 12:1-3, Psalm 63:8).

He will carry you through

(Psalm 73:26, Isaiah 46:4, Exodus 33:14, Psalm 46:1, Psalm 147:3-6, Psalm 62:8, Isaiah 41:13, Psalm 27:10).

He is not surprised

(Jeremiah 10:23, Daniel 2:21).

He has a plan

(Jeremiah 29:11, Psalm 143:8).

He has a purpose

(Genesis 50:20, Proverbs 19:21).

He is our mighty and everlasting God

(Isaiah 40:28, Jeremiah 32:17, Psalm 22:28, Colossians 1:17, Psalm 90:2, Revelations 22:13).

Our loving Father and our closest friend

(1 John 3:1, Psalm 103:12-14, John 15:13-15, James 2:23).

Let us remind ourselves of all the things that would have been going on in Joseph's mind during all the years that he was in prison with no end in sight, and let us be encouraged by what we know happened in the end - God was never surprised by any of it and God was working the whole time. God didn't just bring good to Joseph in the end, God also used this to save the lives of multitudes of people (from famine).

God can and will use what we are walking through, if we surrender it to Him.

No pain is wasted in His hands.

He turns our mourning into dancing.

All that you are walking through - He is not surprised by any of it and He has a magnificent plan. Our minds cannot begin to comprehend it.

Trust in Him and walk with Him.

He will lead us through. <3