Key scripture- “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people” (Genesis 50:20).

Have you found that sometimes God lets things get through to you that you don’t want, and that you don’t like?

We all need to remember that anything that happens to us must come through His hands first. God never leaves our destiny up to random chance and neither should we. If you want to have confidence in the circumstances of life; forget luck, forget coincidence, forget fate, and instead focus on Providence, which is from God, because the events that we consider random events in life are not random at all, but are all part of a divine design.

Providence is defined as, “the forseeing care and guidance of God, divine care and direction”. It is the way God arranges things to achieve His sovereign purposes. Sovereignty is God’s rulership and Providence is how He hooks things up, integrates things, connects things, detaches things, attaches things, and arranges things, in order for us to end up at our destiny. Providence is the arrangement that facilitates Sovereignty.

A good example in the Bible of Providence interacting with Sovereignty is when you look at Joseph’s life. Joseph had some unbelievable ups and downs. One day Joseph was his father’s favorite son and he was wearing a coat that looked like a royal robe, and the next day he was in a pit and being sold by his brothers to a caravan going to Egypt. (Genesis 37:3, 23-25).

After he got to Egypt, he was sold as a slave to Potiphar, who was the captain of Pharoah’s royal guard. (Genesis 37:36). Joseph ended up running Potiphar’s house, because Potiphar saw that the Lord was with Joseph and all that he did prospered. (Genesis 39:3-4). While Joseph was in charge of Potiphar’s house everything was going along fine until he was accused of rape by Potiphar’s wife and was thrown in prison. (Genesis 39:17-18).

While Joseph was in prison, Pharoah’s cupbearer (butler) and baker were put in prison. (Genesis 40:2-3). Joseph was put in charge of the cupbearer and the baker, and after he interpreted their dreams for them, the cupbearer was released. Joseph asked the cupbearer to talk to the King about him, and he said that he would, but the cupbearer forgot about Joseph so he sat in prison for two more years. (Genesis 40:14, 23).

A lot of people would describe Joseph as a person who had a string of bad luck. But if you asked Joseph, that is not how he would describe his life. Instead he would tell you that everything that happened to him was done on purpose by God and “God meant it for good.” (Genesis 50:20). Joseph describes all of the trials that he went through as God fulfilling His purpose to bring Joseph to his destiny.

God used other people’s sin to bring Joseph to his destiny and he does the same thing in our lives. But even though God uses others’ sin they do not have free reign to do what they want to us. We all need to realize that the people who are messing with our lives are like a dog on a leash, they can only go so far and then God will yank them back. Some of your bosses are on a leash, some of your spouses are on a leash, some of your neighbors are on a leash, some of your family members are on a leash, and when they start to go too far, they will immediately be yanked back by God.

You’re probably thinking to yourself, “But why is God letting this happen in the first place? In my opinion I think they have already gone too far so why hasn’t He yanked them back yet?” Because God knows when enough is enough. God will never let you be tempted or tried beyond what you can handle.

I know that is not what you want to hear, because we all want smooth sailing and no problems in our life, but God in His Sovereign Providence is saying to all the people who are trying to hurt you, “You meant it for evil, you were out to destroy my child, but I am going to use that thing to bless them and bring them safely to their destiny.”

Look at Providence like this, when you look at the face of a watch you can tell the time but you do not see all the little parts inside that are moving together in order to make the watch work. But the only reason you can tell the time is because behind the face of the watch all those little parts are working perfectly together, and without them you would never be able to tell time. Therefore, when you look at the face of the watch you’re not seeing everything there is to see or that could be seen.

Your life is like that too, because all you see is what’s happening in front of you, you don’t see all the other things that are going on behind the scenes that God is using and bringing into place at just the right time in order to fulfill your destiny.

When you are dealing with the Providence of God, you never see all that is taking place or all the details. Since we can’t see the big picture we actually think that God is not doing anything, or He’s not paying attention, or He does not care, that’s because all you see is what you see, and since that is all you see, you do not see all there is to be seen.

We all need to remember that it took Joseph 22 years to get to his destiny. Like Joseph, we do not arrive at our destiny overnight and that’s because our character is not ready yet for our destiny. How quickly you get to your destiny depends on if you’re cooperating with God, because if you are working against God then that will delay your destiny, because it will take more time to develop your character.

Even though what you are going through is uncomfortable, and even though the sailing is difficult right now, you are going to get to your destination safely, because of Who is in charge. You may be on rough seas, and it may be really really dark, but you have a Captain that knows how to weather the storm, He knows how to guide the ship, and He knows how to deliver you safely to your destiny.

Even though the storm in your life may be meant for evil, God works all things for your good, for all who love Him and are called according to His purpose. So remove luck, karma, fate and coincidence from your vocabulary, and instead replace those words with the “Providence of God” so that you can have confidence in all the good and bad circumstances in your life.

When you understand Providence, then no matter what your circumstances are, you can look at them free of fear, and instead look to see what God is doing in this trial for your good and His glory.

Pray this – Our Precious Heavenly Father, I may not understand how everything will work out, but I trust you, because even when I do not see a way, I know that You will always make a way. Father, You are faithful, and You will not allow me to be tried beyond what I am able to handle, and You always provide a way of escape so that I will be able to endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:13). I know that one day when I get to heaven I will see how Your grace saved me from so many things that I did not even see. I trust You completely and I have faith at this very moment that you are touching hearts, opening doors, and lining up the right breaks and opportunities. Even though things look dark and bleak right now, I have faith that my dawn is coming. I know that You are doing a thousand things behind the scene, but I will never see all that You are doing, only the piece that You want me to see, because You want me to learn to walk by faith and not by sight. I take Your hand and I commit all my ways to You as I walk by faith, and I follow and obey You. In Jesus’ Name, I pray, Amen