Can You Trust God’s Providence?

Providence

How is this different from Fatalism?
 What is will be vs. What God purposes will be
 The key is God has a goal, moving all toward His purpose
 Fatalism has no point

How does my sin, choices affect God’s plan?

A.How should this information change my Thinking? 
1.All my trials have meaning. No reason to say, “Woe is me.” Purpose in it.
(Rom. 8:28)
How I interpret life’s happenings

2. My sin is included in God’s plan

3. What God is doing is so much bigger than me. Spurgeon sermon on God’s providence – even the dust in the air is moving according to God’s purpose.
God is working on an eternal scale, we only see what is right in front of us, and often don’t see that!

4. Knowing God is working should affect my attitude. Joy and Peace are the result of resting in Him. (illus. Norman’s truck) – Fear and worry have no place.

B.How should this change my Conversations?
Word usage – accident, tragedy, 
Conversations about life’s troubles will be different if you see God’s hand working vs. if you don’t see it.

C. How should this affect my Decision making?
You can trust God without worrying about making the “right” choice. You can’t make a choice that can ruin God’s plan.
We take too much responsibility for God’s plan. “If I don’t share the gospel, this person won’t get saved.”