“Cooperate with God”
By Dianne Prince
“The Lord of hosts has sworn: ‘As I have planned, so shall it be, and as I have purposed, so shall it stand’” (Isaiah 14:24, NIV).
The Bible makes it clear that God governs everything that comes into our lives, either by permitting or directing events. For instance, God allowed the devil to test Job’s loyalty by destroying his property, family, comforts, and health, while He actively hardened Pharaoh’s heart against His people. In both cases, God controlled the events and the outcomes, using each for His purpose.
Similarly, God has a plan for each of our days. Though we are “temporary residents and foreigners” in this world, He has work for us to do while we are here. He warns us that adversity will come, but we are not to lose sight of our purpose.
To stay focused, we must remember that this world is not our home—it is a temporary stop on our way to glory. When life does not go as expected, it is okay to feel overwhelmed momentarily. However, we must gather ourselves, move forward, and trust in God’s strength. This world is not the end but a brief stop on our journey to our eternal home.
Remember today: God rules and oversees every detail of your day. And there is nothing you can do to change your course. There is nothing you can do to hurry it up and there is nothing you can do to slow it down. If things feel out of hand, know they are unfolding just as God intended.
Adversity is not the end, and negativity will not last forever. Everything is shaping up according to God’s design.
Thank God for what is in order, surrender what is beyond your control, and, by faith, follow Him where He leads you today.
“As I have planned, so shall it be, and as I have purposed, so shall it stand” (Isaiah 14:24, NIV).
