Choices, Circumstances and the Providence of God

By Thomas Overmiller | August 8, 2018

Every sunrise welcomes a new day filled with choices you will make and circumstances you will encounter. For some, this daily adventure is exhilarating. For others, it is overwhelming. And for others (perhaps most), it is routine. In every case, there is one important fact to remember: God is carefully attending to every detail of my life. There are no accidents.

  • A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps. (Proverbs 16:9)
  • The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. (Proverbs 16:33)

Verses like these teach me that as I make decisions (Prov. 16:9) and as I respond to circumstances beyond my control (Prov. 16:33), God is always guiding and governing the details of my life. I am not in control. God is, and the details of my day will never be separated from His loving, deliberate oversight.

Does this mean that the outcome of my day is inevitable and my choices are irrelevant? No, it’s not that simple. My choices do matter.

  • He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he. (Prov. 16:20)

God holds me accountable to make wise choices and to respond to circumstances in the right way. When I do this, I will experience good outcomes. But as I make decisions, I should trust that the Lord is working out His plan through my choices and the circumstances that surround me.

Like an artist painting a beautiful landscape, God is always hovering over the canvas of my life, carefully attending to every stroke, every tone and every detail. Nothing escapes His masterful touch. There are no accidents.

I like this observation by Duane Garrett:

“Whether one makes detailed plans or resorts to casting lots, events and circumstances are all in God’s control.”1

Thomas Overmiller serves as pastor for Faith Baptist Church in Corona, NY and blogs at Shepherd Thoughts. This article first appeared at Shepherd Thoughts, used here with permission.

 

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  1. Duane A. Garrett, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, vol. 14, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1993), 155. [↩]
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