“God is in control.” We hear that all the time and, in a world that often seems out-of-control, these words are very comforting. This is kind of a “bumper sticker” statement of a very complex facet of Christian doctrine called providence. (From the root provide.) And, like most “bumper sticker” summaries of doctrine, it requires a lot of explanation.
Providence, like revelation, which we talked about in the first article, can be divided into two types, general and special.
General providence is things like oxygen, fertile soil, and sunshine; plants and animals to eat; families and communities to which to belong. These things are gifts of God’s providence. We have done nothing to deserve these; God provides them to us out of his grace. (In Wesleyan theology we talk about prevenient grace, the grace that goes before. God provides for all his people and calls us all into relationship with him.)
Special providence is those very special, and perhaps rare, times when God seems to intervene directly in our lives. We experience miraculous healing; we are running late only to find out that we just missed an accident ahead of us; we receive an unexpected check in the mail just when we needed it. All of these things are providence. We may call them coincidences, but there is an old saying that goes, “coincidence is when God chooses to remain anonymous.”
However, the questions arise when things do not happen that way; when tragedy strikes; when healing does not come; when God does not do what we expect. These are the hard questions.
There are two very broad ways that Christians over the years have looked at the problem evil, the closed view and the open view. The closed view says that God decides everything that happens and directly causes them to happen, including evil, and tragedy. Of course God has a good reason for everything that happens although we do not always know what that is. To be fair this way of thinking can provide a lot of comfort in the face of tragedy for many people.
The open view, which I hold, says that because of free will, which is also a gift of providence, God does not always get his way; things do not always happen according to God’s perfect plan. The first thing we must realize, and which we will explore in greater detail in the next article, is that the world is broken. This world, as it is, is not the way that God intended it to be. This is due to the effects of human sin.
In this view God allows, rather than causes, evil as consequences of our own choices. James 1:13-14 says, “No one, when tempted, should say, "I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts no one. But one is tempted by one's own desire, being lured and enticed by it.”
However, God is still in control and is still taking care of us in all of this; and while God does not cause these things to happen, he can use them to help us to grow. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, “No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.” As another old saying goes, “God never gives us more than we can handle, I just wish he didn’t trust me so much.” God believes in us more than we believe in ourselves. We can get through anything if we use the grace God’s gives us.
God’s providence is all around us every day, in the air we breathe, in the water we drink, in the food we eat, and in the people we meet. God’s providence is there in the natural resources we use and are called to protect. God’s providence is there in the miracles that we can see every day if only we will look. God’s providence is even there in the midst of tragedy, walking with us, getting us through, and helping us to grow. However, providence, like any of God’s good gifts, can be neglected, misused, and taken for granted. So, let us learn to recognize, appreciate, and enjoy God’s providence.
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