Living Intentionally in God's Sovereignty and Providence

Living intentionally within God's sovereignty and providence involves a conscious alignment of one's life with divine will and purpose. This intentionality is rooted in the understanding that God actively preserves and governs all things, not only through direct action but also through secondary causes ^[4]. This divine oversight extends to the natural world, animal life, and the affairs of humanity, including the free actions of individuals ^[4].

The concept of providence, literally meaning foresight, encompasses God's care over creation, His preservation of creatures, and His provision for them ^{[4, 8]}. This includes the special preservation, prosperity, protection, and deliverance of those who are considered saints ^[8]. God's providence is also seen in His ordering of human ways and bringing His words to pass ^[8]. For believers, this means finding rest and safety in God, who is described as their habitation ^[5].

An intentional life in this context is characterized by a desire to please God in all respects ^[2]. The Apostle Paul exhorts believers to live in a manner worthy of the Lord, bearing fruit in every good deed and growing in the knowledge of God ^[2]. Similarly, the Thessalonians are encouraged to live lives pleasing to God, who has called them into His kingdom and glory ^[1]. This pursuit of pleasing God is not merely an external act but an internal transformation, where individuals no longer live for human desires but for the will of God ^[3].

This intentional living is often described as conformity to God's will ^[11]. It involves adopting God's value system, pursuing His purpose in the world, and submitting to His authority, which is encapsulated in the command to "seek the Kingdom of God" ^[12]. Such a life requires a continual regard for God's precepts, fixing His law as the rule for all actions and yielding obedience to it ^[10]. It also means being acquainted with these commandments and remembering them ^[10].

The pursuit of holiness is central to living intentionally in God's sovereignty. Holiness, in its highest sense, belongs to God, and Christians are called to be consecrated to God's service, conforming to His will ^[9]. This personal holiness is a gradual process, requiring watchfulness, prayer, and perseverance ^[9].

Hope plays a significant role in this intentional living. Believers are encouraged to place their hope in God, in Christ, in God's promises, and in His mercy ^[7]. This hope is described as a work of the Holy Spirit, obtained through grace, the Word, the comfort of the Scriptures, and faith ^[7]. It is a "lively," "sure and steadfast," and "blessed" hope that brings gladness ^[7].

The happiness of saints in this life is found in God, derived from the fear of God, trust in God, obedience to God, and hope in the Lord ^[6]. This happiness is also connected to salvation and praising God ^[6]. The love of God is a foundational aspect, with believers encouraged to "keep yourselves in the love of God" by building up their faith and praying in the Holy Spirit ^[14]. This love of God is seen as an infinite love that induced Him to create the world and form humanity in His image ^[13].

Sources

I Thessalonians “I Thessalonians 2:12 (BBE) — So that your lives might be pleasing to God, who has given you a part in his kingdom and his glory.”
Colossians “Colossians 1:10 (LEB) — so that you may live in a manner worthy of the Lord, ⌞to please him in all respects⌟, bearing fruit in every good deed and increasing in the knowledge of God,”
I Peter “I Peter 4:2 (LEB) — in order to live the remaining time in the flesh no longer for human desires, but for the will of God.”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Providence — Literally means foresight, but is generally used to denote God's preserving and governing all things by means of second causes (Ps. 18:35; 63:8; Acts 17:28; Col. 1:17; Heb. 1:3). God's providence extends to the natural world (Ps. 104:14; 135:5-7; Acts 14:17), the brute creation (Ps. 104:21-29; Matt. 6:26; 10:29), and the affairs of men (1 Chr. 16:31; Ps. 47:7; Prov. 21:1; Job 12:23; Dan. 2:21; 4:25), and of individuals (1 Sam. 2:6; Ps. 18:30; Luke 1:53; James 4:13-15). It extends also to the free actions of men (Ex. 12:36; 1 Sam. 24:9-15; Ps. 33:14, 15; ”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Habitation — God is the habitation of his people, who find rest and safety in him (Ps. 71:3; 91:9). Justice and judgment are the habitation of God's throne (Ps. 89:14, Heb. mekhon, "foundation"), because all his acts are founded on justice and judgment. (See Ps. 132:5, 13; Eph. 2:22, of Canaan, Jerusalem, and the temple as God's habitation.) God inhabits eternity (Isa. 57:15), i.e., dwells not only among men, but in eternity, where time is unknown; and "the praises of Israel" (Ps. 22:3), i.e., he dwells among those praises and is continually surrounded by them.”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Happiness of Saints In This Life — Is in God -- Ps 73:25,26. Only found in the ways of wisdom -- Pr 3:17,18. Described by Christ in the beatitudes -- Mt 5:3-12. Is derived from Fear of God. -- Ps 128:1,2; Pr 28:14. Trust in God. -- Pr 16:20; Php 4:6,7. The words of Christ. -- Joh 17:13. Obedience to God. -- Ps 40:8; Joh 13:17. Salvation. -- De 33:29; Isa 12:2,3. Hope in the Lord. -- Ps 146:5. Hope of glory. -- Ro 5:2. God being their Lord. -- Ps 144:15. God being their help. -- Ps 146:5. Praising God. -- Ps 135:3. Their mutual love. -- Ps 133:1. Divine chastening. --”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Hope — In God -- Ps 39:7; 1Pe 1:21. In Christ -- 1Co 15:19; 1Ti 1:1. In God's promises -- Ac 26:6,7; Tit 1:2. In the mercy of God -- Ps 33:18. Is the work of the Holy Spirit -- Ro 15:13; Ga 5:5. Obtained through Grace. -- 2Th 2:16. The word. -- Ps 119:81. Patience and comfort of the Scriptures. -- Ro 15:4. The gospel. -- Col 1:5,23. Faith. -- Ro 5:1,2; Ga 5:5. The result of experience -- Ro 5:4. A better hope brought in by Christ -- Heb 7:19. Described as Good. -- 2Th 2:16. Lively. -- 1Pe 1:3. Sure and steadfast. -- Heb 6:19. Gladdening. -- Pr 10:28. Blessed. -- Tit ”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Providence of God, The — Is his care over his works -- Ps 145:9. Is exercised in Preserving his creatures. -- Ne 9:6; Ps 36:6; Mt 10:29. Providing for his creatures. -- Ps 104:27,28; 136:25; 147:9; Mt 6:26. The special preservation of saints. -- Ps 37:28; 91:11; Mt 10:30. Prospering saints. -- Ge 24:48,56. Protecting saints. -- Ps 91:4; 140:7. Delivering saints. -- Ps 91:3; Isa 31:5. Leading saints. -- De 8:2,15; Isa 31:5. Leading saints. -- De 8:2,15; Isa 63:12. Bringing His words to pass. -- Nu 26:65; Jos 21:45; Lu 21:32,33. Ordering the ways of men. -- Pr 16:9; 19”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Holiness — In the highest sense belongs to God (Isa. 6:3; Rev. 15:4), and to Christians as consecrated to God's service, and in so far as they are conformed in all things to the will of God (Rom. 6:19, 22; Eph. 1:4; Titus 1:8; 1 Pet. 1:15). Personal holiness is a work of gradual development. It is carried on under many hindrances, hence the frequent admonitions to watchfulness, prayer, and perseverance (1 Cor. 1:30; 2 Cor. 7:1; Eph. 4:23, 24). (See [280]SANCTIFICATION.)”
Proverbs (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Proverbs 3:1: We are here taught to live a life of communion with God; and without controversy great is this mystery of godliness, and of great consequence to us, and, as is here shown, will be of unspeakable advantage. I. We must have a continual regard to God's precepts, Pro 3:1, Pro 3:2. 1. We must, (1.) Fix God's law, and his commandments, as our rule, by which we will in every thing be ruled and to which we will yield obedience. (2.) We must acquaint ourselves with them; for we cannot be said to forget that which we never knew. (3.) We must remember them so that they may ”
Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 21:32: 21:32 The right way to live is in conformity to God’s will (3:15; 5:20; see also Prov 8:20; 12:28).”
Luke (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Luke 12:31: 12:31 Seek the Kingdom of God: Adopt God’s value system, pursue his purpose in the world, and submit to his authority.”
2 Corinthians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 2 Corinthians 13:14: The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ - All the favor and beneficence that come from and through the Redeemer of the world; as the Lord, the ruler and governor of all things; as Jesus, the Savior of all men by his passion and death; as Christ, the distributer of all that Divine unction which enlightens, comforts, harmonizes, and purifies the mind. May this most exalted, glorious, and all-sufficient Savior, be ever with you! And the love of God - God, your Maker, in that infinite love which induced him to create the world, and form man in his own image and in hi”
Jude (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Jude 1:21: Keep yourselves in the love of God - By building up yourselves on your most holy faith, and praying in the Holy Ghost; for without this we shall soon lose the love of God. Looking for the mercy of our Lord - For although they were to build themselves up, and to pray in the Holy Ghost, and keep themselves in the love of God, yet this building, praying, and keeping, cannot merit heaven; for, after all their diligence, earnestness, self-denial, watching, obedience, etc., they must look for the Mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ, to bring them to Eternal Life.”

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