Take Heart, Christian: God Is in Control

What if God told you that every evil you suffer—all your pain, including every adversity, alienation, abandonment, and false accusation you endure—was part of His good and sovereign purpose?

For the child of God, that is precisely what He has told us. The Bible gives us example after example and testimony after testimony of God’s faithfulness toward His people. The loyal love of the Lord never fails.

The Bible gives us example after example and testimony after testimony of God’s faithfulness toward His people. The loyal love of the Lord never fails.

“You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.”

Years of heartache pour through Joseph’s tearful words in Genesis 50. You remember his travails, I trust. Reflect on sitting in that Egyptian prison, thinking of all the years of estrangement and betrayal. Imagine the loneliness, not understanding what the Lord in His sovereignty was about to do. Yet Joseph confessed his confidence in the God who never left his side and who controlled every detail of his life to fulfill His good promises.

Friends, it’s Christ or chaos. Ligonier Ministries is committed in its global outreach to hold high the truth that our Lord reigns—a truth that brings enduring hope in the face of every trial in this life. The support of people who stand by Ligonier’s mission spreads this glorious, reassuring truth to believers of every age and stage of the Christian life. Your gift this month empowers greater worldwide ministry.

Christians need to be reminded of the sovereignty of God, especially in our day of wars, economic upheaval, political machinations, and media spin. Believers who are well-grounded in God’s Word know that God is good and that He is in control. Truth brings stability to our lives. The Bible teaches that even in this fallen world, even in the storms of this life and in the evil of our enemies, God is accomplishing His faithful redemptive purposes.

As Dr. R.C. Sproul frequently taught us, a sound understanding of God’s sovereignty will benefit us in every season of life:

• When life seems haywire, we must be encouraged that God controls the apparent chaos.
• When we’re fearful that we may lose our salvation, we must be reminded that Jesus is our Good Shepherd who cannot lose any of His sheep.
• When we’re entangled in sin and want to follow our own way, we must be challenged that the Lord reigns by His law, not ours.
• When we’re suffering, we must know that God governs even that which afflicts us and will turn it to our ultimate good and His final glory.

Ligonier boldly proclaims God’s all-encompassing sovereignty because this doctrine is a help for the whole Christian life. God’s sovereignty informs all our teaching as we develop the most extensive library of discipleship materials true to the historic Christian faith and distribute this teaching to the nations. God uses your support to translate and distribute biblical teaching to graciously bear real fruit in people’s lives—whether missionaries enduring persecution or parents enduring unimaginable grief. For instance, Donna told us:

“A friend led us in a study of Chosen by God, where I learned of God’s sovereignty in all things. This prepared me for dark days ahead. A few months later, my eight-year-old son was called to glory. Knowing, because of Dr. Sproulʼs teaching, that my son’s days were numbered before they ever came to be by the good God who loved him specifically carried me through the worst time in my life. Had God not sent me that teaching at just the right time, I donʼt know how I would have survived. God’s mercy amazes me. Ligonierʼs faithful stewardship has blessed me. Thank you.”

Working alongside you to produce resources that help a grieving mother is a privilege we may truly understand only in heaven. When you support Ligonier, you provide a lifeline of biblical encouragement to people worldwide. As this teaching is translated into the world’s top twenty languages, your support enables much of it to be freely available online.

Dr. Sproul taught beautifully about God’s sovereignty and often turned to Joseph’s life. I’ve heard few teachers who could teach an Old Testament narrative so vividly. It was from R.C. that I learned about the doctrine of concurrence and its relevance to my struggles in understanding the will of God. We see in Joseph how the Lord used adversity to prepare him for greater usefulness and a greater grasp of God’s glorious presence. Moreover, we see that God was preserving His covenant promise to Abraham, protecting the people of Israel to eventually deliver them back to the promised land.

Joseph’s life and testimony are bedrock reminders of God’s sovereignty, and we have a new book for you drawn from one of R.C.’s most beloved teaching series. The hardcover book Joseph: From Dreamer to Deliverer is yours this month when you give a gift of any amount to Ligonier’s outreach. Additionally, you’ll receive lifetime streaming access to Dr. Sproul’s timeless series. Joseph’s life demonstrates that God’s hidden providence is always working, even to bring good out of evil.

Ligonier seeks to be faithful in producing discipleship resources that provide real encouragement grounded in biblical truth and then getting them to as many people as possible. A donation this month enables trusted teaching on God’s sovereignty to go forth and change more lives. Thank you.