Day 85
Today’s reading: 2 Corinthians 12:1-13:14
Sovereignty of God
〰️
Sovereignty of God 〰️
Reflections
My 8-year-old mentee and I love playing games together. She especially enjoys “Connect Four,” but I always, without fail, beat her at it. I know several strategies for the game, and my brain is more developed than hers to map out multiple moves ahead. Sometimes, she gets excited thinking she’s about to beat me because she’s so focused on her own play, but she often fails to see the whole picture. This is a lot like God and the devil. The sovereignty of God means He always has a divine plan that guarantees His victory in the end. In fact, it is impossible for Satan to defeat God—he stands no chance against the Omniscient One. It’s like a child playing chess with a grandmaster. God allows Satan to make his moves, fully knowing they fit perfectly into His ultimate plan to win.
Friends, let this comfort you. Lately, my personal mantra has been: “I am never at a disadvantage; I win at the end.” I know that God is working all things together for my good. Even my mistakes are part of the plan—God accounted for them before I ever made them. This is why our utmost priority must be to stay in the will of God. When Paul prayed for God to remove the thorn from him, God's will was not to change the situation but to use it to shape Paul for life and ministry. From this, we learn another important lesson—the goal of prayer is not always to change our circumstances; it is to bring our hearts into deeper alignment with God's will. It's also important to note that Paul never said God sent him the thorn. It was a messenger of Satan, meaning it was sent from the enemy. Yet God, in His sovereignty, used what Satan meant for evil to train and empower Paul.
Study Questions
What does Paul mean when he refers to the “third heaven”? (Use a study Bible to help with your answer.)
Should a person's personal revelations influence the truth of what they preach? Why or why not?
How do we properly test and examine ourselves? What should we be looking for when we do?
Highlight
“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9 ESV
