GOD'S SOVEREIGN HAND

"My times are in His hands."

Are they?  I think so.  The previous comment thread on the Sovereignty of Saul leads nicely into another stream of questions for me.  Can you take a minute and share one experience that answers the following?:

How do you see the Sovereign hand of God in your life at this time? What circumstance can you see Him working out via a situation you are going through?  Can you see the past trail that led to the present?  selahV

Comments

[Karen]

When I imagine God's sovereign hand, I am led back to Zephaniah 3:17 (The Lord your God is among you, a warrior who saves. He will rejoice over you with gladness. He will bring you quietness with His love. He will delight in you with shouts of joy.) No matter what, God loves me. I know this because I feel His omnipotent hand reaching down to me each day. I know this because He inclines closer to hear my prayers. I have been teaching for 18 months. I taught my first 6 months in a small school. Then, I was transferred to the largest elementary school in the county. At the time, I was devastated---being pulled out of my comfort zone. I spent a full year in the big school. Because of God, I was able to be a part of many vitally important changes there. These changes were considered to be things that would happen in 10-15 years, but not right now. God used me as a catalyst in those changes. Although my heart never left the small school, God's hand gave me peace...assurance...contentment. I never once asked for God to take me back to where my heart was. He knew my desires. I know that my God delights in me because, without requesting it, He is sending me back to the small school. I wouldn't have dreamed that up in a million years! But, I'm going back and I know He has a plan. His will for my life unfolds, one wrinkle at a time, becoming ironed out smoothly. I am forever grateful that I serve a sovereign God that sees the BIG picture.

[SelahV]

Karen: what a blessed testimony! Thanks so much for sharing it. I can really use this as I teach a class to ladies come September. I'm giddy with excitement. selahV

[grosey]

Many thanks for your thoughtful post there SelahV. You have followed up on the theme of God's Sovereignty very well into application.
One thing that occurs to me in my own life, was what I considered for many years a handicap has often turned out to be a gateway for the gospel.
My mother was paranoid schizophrenic. My family endured an awful lot through many many years. Countless times I had to be on guard against murder attempts. Countless times I had to help my dad carry her out to the car and rush her to hospital after a suicide attempt.. usually three per year).
I wont go into the personal hurts, they are too immense.
As a consequence, I am often the first real help someone suffering from mental illness, or their families, actually come across. (And as you may be aware, mental illness affects 25% of the population at some time, 5% are bipolar, and 2% are paranoid schizophrenic).
This has given me compassion and understanding for those struggling with these illnesses, and I am pretty unshockable (a school friend committed a massacre during a schizophrenic episode).
For some strange reason most acquaintenances immediately open up to me. People quickly reveal to me their inmost thoughts.
4 times I have assisted a friend who was head of the drug squad and then head of Internal affairs with major coups, because of information gleaned in counselling. (One of those coups may actually become known in the USA one day.. when finally an arrest is made (it has been 11 years in the process).
With my background God has opened doors in some of the MOST interesting ways. It has also allowed me a resilience under pressure.

Steve