Trusting God's Sovereignty in Chronic Struggles and Trials
Trusting God's sovereignty in chronic struggles and trials is a recurring theme in biblical texts and theological reflection, emphasizing God's steadfastness and active involvement in the lives of believers [6]. The concept of God's sovereignty implies His ultimate control and authority over all things, including difficult circumstances [5, 8].
Scripture frequently encourages believers to place their trust in God, particularly when facing adversity. Psalm 4:5 exhorts, "Offer the sacrifices of righteousnes, and trust in the Lord" [1]. This trust is not merely passive acceptance but an active reliance on God's character and promises. The psalmist declares, "In God we do mightily, And He doth tread down our adversaries!" [2]. This suggests that strength and victory come through God's intervention. John Gill, a Baptist commentator, interprets Psalm 62:8 as an encouragement for "all that are Israelites indeed, and are the Lord's covenant people" to trust in the Lord only, not in worldly things, for both temporal and spiritual blessings [9]. He further notes that God is to be trusted "at all times; in times of affliction, temptation, and desertion" [11].
The Bible portrays God as a refuge and source of strength for the afflicted [3]. Passages like Psalm 140:12 affirm that "Yahweh will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and justice for the needy" [4]. God is described as being with the afflicted (Psalm 46:5,7; Isaiah 43:2), comforting them (Isaiah 49:13; Matthew 5:4; 2 Corinthians 1:4,5), preserving them (Psalm 34:20), and delivering them (Psalm 34:4,19) [3]. Christ himself is depicted as being with, supporting, comforting, preserving, and delivering those who suffer [3].
The steadfastness of God is a foundational aspect of His sovereignty [6]. His purposes and ways are unwavering (Numbers 23:19; Daniel 6:26; James 1:17) [6]. This divine steadfastness provides a basis for hope, which is described as "sure and steadfast" in Hebrews 6:19 [7]. Matthew Henry, a Nonconformist commentator, notes that while the prosperity of the wicked and the distresses of the righteous can shake faith, the attempt of enemies to discourage confidence in God can lead believers to cleave more closely to their principles [14]. He emphasizes that it is wise to trust in the living God, who acts as "a help and a shield" [10].
Believers are called to exhibit steadfastness themselves, cleaving to God and continuing in the work of the Lord and the apostles' doctrine [6]. This steadfastness is secured by God's power, His presence, and the intercession of Christ [6]. The Lord is identified as the strength of His people, enabling them to perform duties, resist temptation, endure afflictions, and overcome spiritual enemies [12, 13].
Sources
- Psalms “Psalms 4:5 (Geneva1599) — Offer the sacrifices of righteousnes, and trust in the Lord.”
- Psalms “Psalms 108:13 (YLT) — In God we do mightily, And He doth tread down our adversaries!”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Afflicted Saints — God is with -- Ps 46:5,7; Isa 43:2. God is a refuge and strength to -- Ps 27:5,6; Isa 25:4; Jer 16:19; Na 1:7. God comforts -- Isa 49:13; Jer 31:13; Mt 5:4; 2Co 1:4,5; 7:6. God preserves -- Ps 34:20. God delivers -- Ps 34:4,19; Pr 12:13; Jer 39:17,18. Christ is with -- Joh 14:18. Christ supports -- 2Ti 4:17; Heb 2:18. Christ comforts -- Isa 61:2; Mt 11:28-30; Lu 7:13; Joh 14:1; 16:33. Christ preserves -- Isa 63:9; Lu 21:18. Christ delivers -- Re 3:10. Should praise God -- Ps 13:5,6; 56:8-10; 57:6,7; 71:20-23. Should imitate Christ -- Heb 12:1-3; 1P”
- Psalms “I know that Yahweh will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and justice for the needy. -- Psalms 140:12”
- Daniel “I make a decree, that in all the dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel; for he is the living God, and steadfast forever, His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed; and his dominion shall be even to the end. -- Daniel 6:26”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Steadfastness — Exhibited by God in all his purposes and ways -- Nu 23:19; Da 6:26; Jas 1:17. Commanded -- Php 4:1; 2Th 2:15; Jas 1:6-8. Godliness necessary to -- Job 11:13-15. Secured by The power of God. -- Ps 55:22; 62:2; 1Pe 1:5; Jude 1:24. The presence of God. -- Ps 16:8. Trust in God. -- Ps 26:1. The intercession of Christ. -- Lu 22:31,32. A characteristic of saints -- Job 17:9; Joh 8:31. Should be manifested In cleaving to God. -- De 10:20; Ac 11:23. In the work of the Lord. -- 1Co 15:58. In continuing in the Apostles' doctrine. -- Ac 2:42. In holding fast our”
- 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: Unity of God — A ground for obeying him exclusively -- De 4:39,40. A ground for loving him supremely -- De 6:4,5; Mr 12:29,30. Asserted by God himself. -- Isa 44:6,8; 45:18,21. Christ. -- Mr 12:29; Joh 17:3. Moses. -- De 4:39; 6:4. Apostles. -- 1Co 8:4,6; Eph 4:6; 1Ti 2:5. Consistent with the deity of Christ and of the Holy Spirit -- Joh 10:30; 1Jo 5:7; Joh 14:9-11. Exhibited in His greatness and wonderful works. -- 2Sa 7:22; Ps 86:10. His works of creation and providence. -- Isa 44:24; 45:5-8. His being alone possessed of fore-knowledge. -- Isa 46:9-11. His exercise”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 62:8: Trust in him at all times, ye people,.... Of the house of Israel, as the Targum; or of God, as Aben Ezra; all that are Israelites indeed, and are the Lord's covenant people; these are exhorted and encouraged to trust in him; not in a creature, nor in any outward thing, in riches, wisdom, strength, birth, privileges, the law, and the works of it; in their own righteousness, in their hearts, in themselves or in others; but in the Lord only, both for temporal and spiritual blessings: the Targum is, "in his Word"; his essential Word, by whom the world was made, and who, i”
- Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 115:9: In these verses, I. We are earnestly exhorted, all of us, to repose our confidence in God, and not suffer our confidence in him to be shaken by the heathens' insulting over us upon the account of our present distresses. It is folly to trust in dead images, but it is wisdom to trust in the living God, for he is a help and a shield to those that do trust in them, a help to furnish them with and forward them in that which is good, and a shield to fortify them against and protect them from every thing that is evil. Therefore, 1. Let Israel trust in the Lord; the body”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 7:1: O Lord my God, in thee do I put my trust,.... The psalmist expresses his interest in God as his covenant God, and his trust and confidence in him; and with these he sets out as the stay of his soul, and his bulwark against the fears of his enemies; and he does not say that he had trusted in God, or would for the future trust in him; but that he did trust in him, and continued to do so. And God is to be trusted in at all times; in times of affliction, temptation, and desertion; and these the psalmist premises to his petition, which follows, as an encouragement to him to”
- Habakkuk (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Habakkuk 3:19: The Lord God is my strength,.... The author and giver of natural and spiritual strength, as he is to all his people; he is the strength of their hearts when ready to faint and sink, and of their graces, faith, hope, love, patience, &c. and continues and increases them, and draws them forth into lively acts and exercise; and of their lives, natural and spiritual, which he supports and maintains, secures and defends; from him they have their strength to perform the duties of religion; to oppose their spiritual enemies, sin, Satan, and the world; and to bear them up un”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 29:11: The Lord will give strength unto his people,.... His special people, his covenant people, whom he has chosen for himself; these are encompassed with infirmities, and are weak in themselves; but there is strength for them in Christ: the Lord promises it unto them, and bestows it on them, and which is a pure gift of his grace unto them; this may more especially regard that strength, power, and dominion, which will be given to the people of the most High in the latter day; since it follows, upon the account of the everlasting kingdom of Christ; the Lord will bless his”
- Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 11:4: The shaking of a tree (they say) makes it take the deeper and faster root. The attempt of David's enemies to discourage his confidence in God engages him to cleave so much the more closely to his first principles, and to review them, which he here does, abundantly to his own satisfaction and the silencing of all temptations to infidelity. That which was shocking to his faith, and has been so to the faith of many, was the prosperity of wicked people in their wicked ways, and the straits and distresses which the best men are sometimes reduced to: hence such an evil ”