PSALM 115:3 But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases.

This verse beautifully expresses the sovereignty of God. It reminds us that God rules from His heavenly throne with absolute authority, unhindered by any force or circumstance. Because He is God, He has the right to act according to His perfect will, at the time He chooses, and in the way He chooses. His sovereignty does not mean He acts randomly or unjustly; rather, everything He does flows from His perfect character—His wisdom, holiness, love, and righteousness. Nothing can limit Him, oppose His purposes, or alter His plans. He is in charge of all creation, and He accomplishes what He desires without failure. This truth gives us deep comfort, because the God who is in control is also good, faithful, and trustworthy. Therefore, we can rest in knowing that His sovereign will is always for His glory and ultimately for the good of His children.

PRAYER:

Father in heaven,

We come before You acknowledging that You alone are sovereign, and there is no one like You. Your Word says that You are in the heavens and You do whatever You please, and we praise You because everything You do is good, righteous, and filled with wisdom. Lord, help us to trust Your perfect will even when we do not understand our circumstances. Teach our hearts to rest in Your authority and to find peace in knowing that nothing is beyond Your control. Surrendering ourselves to You, we ask for the grace to submit to Your plans with humility and faith. May Your sovereignty give us confidence, courage, and comfort each day. We declare that You are in charge, and we entrust our lives completely into Your hands.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

God is In Charge

DANIEL 4:35 All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, But He does according to His will in the host of heaven And among the inhabitants of earth; And no one can ward off His hand Or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’

This verse declares the absolute sovereignty of God—His unquestionable authority over heaven, earth, and every human life. God acts according to His perfect will, and no one can resist His hand or demand an explanation from Him. This truth becomes clear when we look at the lives of the apostles. God rescued Paul from prison multiple times, and He miraculously released Peter through an angel. Yet God did not deliver James; He allowed him to die by the sword. These different outcomes are not contradictions but reflections of God’s sovereign purpose. God’s plans for each person are unique, wise, and perfectly aligned with His greater purposes. Sometimes God’s will includes miraculous deliverance; at other times it includes suffering or sacrifice. In both cases, He remains good, faithful, and in full control. Trusting His sovereignty means believing that He makes no mistakes and that His plan—even when painful—is always right.

1 TIMOTHY 6:15 … He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords,

This verse describes God as “the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords,” emphasizing that all authority, power, and rule ultimately belong to Him alone. God’s power is not something separate from His being or something He merely possesses—it is who He is. His power flows from His nature: eternal, unchanging, all-knowing, and all-present. Unlike human power, which can be gained or lost, God’s power is inherent, absolute, and limitless. He does not depend on anyone or anything to accomplish His will. Everything He desires, He fulfills; everything He purposes, He completes. God’s sovereignty and power are rooted in His very essence, and this truth gives us confidence that His plans cannot fail, His promises cannot be broken, and His purposes will always stand.

ISAIAH 45:6 …I am the Lord, and there is no other, 7 The One forming light and creating darkness, Causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the Lord who does all these.

This passage declares that God is in absolute control over both the blessings and the hardships of life. He never apologizes for His authority, nor does He owe anyone an explanation for how He rules His creation. Because He is God, He can send plagues, permit diseases, and at the same time prevent them whenever He wills. He allows pain and suffering, not because He delights in them, but because He has given humanity the freedom to make choices—and those choices come with real consequences. Often, it is through these consequences that we learn, grow, and are shaped into maturity. And even when bad things happen, God is able to work through them to accomplish something good. In His wisdom, He can turn what is painful into something purposeful, what is broken into something beautiful, and what seems destructive into something that ultimately leads to His glory and our good.

ISAIAH 45:9 “Woe to the one who quarrels with his Maker—An earthenware vessel among the vessels of earth! Will the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you doing?’…

This imagery of clay and potter reminds us of our proper place before God. He is the Creator; we are His creation. The clay has no right to question, accuse, or challenge the wisdom of the potter. In the same way, we have no grounds to dispute God’s decisions, timing, or purposes.

When we struggle to understand what God is doing—or why He allows certain things—we often feel the temptation to question His ways. But arguing with God is both foolish and dangerous. He sees what we cannot see, understands what we cannot understand, and works out purposes far greater than we can imagine.

If we have complaints about the Lord, judgment day will reveal the full truth of His justice and wisdom—but until that day, our posture must be humility. Instead of quarreling with God, we are called to trust Him. Instead of demanding explanations, we submit our hearts to Him. Humility allows us to rest in the truth that God makes no mistakes, that His ways are perfect, and that His plans—even when difficult—are always for His glory and ultimately for our good.

ISAIAH 45:21 … there is no other God besides Me, A righteous God and a Savior; There is none except Me. 22 Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; For I am God, and there is no other.

These verses reveal that God alone holds absolute authority, yet unlike any earthly ruler, His absolute power is joined with absolute goodness. Human power corrupts because humans are sinful, limited, and easily swayed by pride. But God is holy, pure, and unchanging—His character is perfect.

Because He is righteous, everything He does is right. Because He is good, His power is always exercised with justice, mercy, and wisdom. Because He is the Savior, His heart desires to rescue, not destroy. The One who holds all power also offers salvation to all the ends of the earth, proving that His sovereignty is not cold or cruel—but compassionate and redemptive.

While absolute power in human hands is terrifying, absolute power in God’s hands brings comfort. We can trust Him completely because His authority is matched by His holiness. The holy God with infinite power is the same God who invites the world to turn to Him and be saved.

ISAIAH 46:10 Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, ‘My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’;

This verse beautifully highlights God’s complete sovereignty and perfect knowledge. God is never coerced or forced; everything He does flows from His own will, wisdom, and purpose. When He created the heavens, the earth, and human beings, it was entirely by His choice—no one compelled Him, no one dictated His actions.

God’s sovereignty extends to every event in history, including the fall of humanity. He was not surprised when sin entered the world, and He had already prepared the way of salvation through Christ from eternity past. Nothing catches God off guard, nothing occurs outside His control, and nothing frustrates His plans. His knowledge is perfect, His power is unlimited, and His purposes are always accomplished. Understanding this reminds us that God is trustworthy, unchanging, and in full control of all creation, and it calls us to trust Him, submit to His will, and rest in the certainty of His perfect plans.

Suffering happens to Good People

ACTS 4:27 For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, … both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur.

Even when evil people acted with sinful motives—Herod, Pontius Pilate, the Gentiles, and even some among Israel—God was still sovereign over the situation. He permitted the pain, the injustice, and the suffering of Jesus, yet none of it was outside His plan. Though these individuals were fully responsible for their actions, God’s purpose was still fulfilled perfectly. This reminds us that even when life seems unfair or confusing, God is never defeated. His purposes will always prevail, and nothing—not human evil, not injustice, not suffering—can stop His redemptive plan.

1 PETER 4:19 Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.

Suffering is a reality of life—no one escapes it. It happens to the righteous and the unrighteous, to the faithful and the rebellious. God never promises a life free from pain, nor does He apologize for allowing suffering. Instead, He gives us a command and an invitation: trust Me.

In our suffering, God calls us not to bitterness, not to despair, but to entrust our souls into His faithful hands. He is the Creator who knows us, sustains us, and holds our future. Our role is to continue doing what is right, believing that God sees, God cares, and God will accomplish His purpose through everything we face.

1 PETER 4:15 Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; 16 but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name.

While suffering is a part of the Christian life, not all suffering is honored by God. Peter warns believers not to suffer because of sinful or foolish actions—such as murder, theft, evil behavior, or even being a troublesome meddler. These kinds of consequences are self-inflicted and unnecessary. God does not want us to experience pain that comes from disobedience. However, if we suffer as Christians—for doing what is right, for standing for truth, for living faithfully—then we should not feel shame. Instead, we should see it as an opportunity to glorify God. This passage shows the balance between God’s sovereignty and human responsibility: God oversees all circumstances, but we are accountable for our choices. We cannot blame God for the suffering that results from sin, yet we can trust Him fully when we suffer for righteousness’ sake.

The sovereignty of God means that God is truly God—the supreme ruler over all creation. It affirms that He has both the right and the power to do whatever He wills, whenever He wills, and however He wills. Nothing outside of Himself can compel Him, influence Him, or overrule Him. He is not answerable to any authority, and He is not accountable to any creature. His decisions are rooted in His own perfect character—His wisdom, justice, love, and holiness. God’s sovereignty is not tyranny; it is the absolute rule of a perfectly good and infinitely wise Creator who acts according to His own flawless nature. Thus, His sovereignty brings both awe and comfort: awe, because He is above all; comfort, because the One who rules over everything is utterly faithful and good.

Lazarus Got Sick

JOHN 11:1 Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was the Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. 3 So the sisters sent word to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.” 4 But when Jesus heard this, He said, “This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it.” 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.

In this verse 11:1–5 we see a family deeply loved by Jesus—Mary, Martha, and Lazarus—yet their home was struck by disappointment and fear because Lazarus became seriously sick. Their love for Jesus and Jesus’ love for them were unquestionable, but this passage reminds us that being loved by God does not exempt anyone from trials, sickness, or painful circumstances. Problems are not always a sign of personal sin; sometimes God allows difficulties for a greater purpose. When Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus, they did so with confidence and expectation that He would come immediately to heal Lazarus.

6 So when He heard that he was sick, He then stayed two days longer in the place where He was... 14 So Jesus then said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, 15 and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe; but let us go to him.”... 17 So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days... 21 Martha then said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.

When Jesus heard that Lazarus was sick, He did not rush to Bethany but instead stayed where He was for two more days. This deliberate delay shows the sovereignty of God—He works according to His own perfect timetable, not according to human expectations. God is seldom early from our perspective, but He is never late; His timing is always exact. Jesus allowed Lazarus to die, not out of neglect, but in order to reveal a deeper truth to His disciples: that nothing is impossible with God and that even life and death are under His absolute authority. By the time Jesus arrived, Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days—a detail that mattered because of a Jewish superstition that the spirit hovered near the body for three days before finally departing. By coming on the fourth day, Jesus left no room for doubt about the reality of Lazarus’s death. Martha, overwhelmed with grief and disappointment, expressed what she felt: “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” Her words show the tension many believers feel—faith mixed with pain—yet Jesus was about to reveal that His apparent delay was actually the pathway to a greater miracle and a deeper revelation of who He is.

JOHN 11:32 …when Mary came where Jesus was, she saw Him, and fell at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”

When Mary reached Jesus, her grief overflowed in the same words her sister Martha had spoken: “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” Like many of us, Mary looked back at what could have been, holding onto regret and pain from the past. But Jesus was teaching them—and us—that living in the past only deepens sorrow and keeps us from seeing what God is able to do in the present. Blaming circumstances, blaming others, or replaying “if only” moments will paralyze the heart. Instead, we must trust that God is sovereign and fully in charge, even when His timing confuses us. What looks like a delayed response is often God preparing something far greater than we imagined.

JOHN 11:23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world.”... 35 Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews were saying, “See how He loved him!”... 39 Jesus said, “Remove the stone.” Martha, the sister of the deceased, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there will be a stench, for he has been dead four days.”

When Jesus told Martha, “Your brother will rise again,” she understood it only in terms of the future resurrection, but Jesus revealed something far deeper: He Himself is “the resurrection and the life,” the One who holds absolute power over life and death. Anyone who believes in Him will truly live, even when physical death comes. Martha responded with a remarkable confession of faith, affirming that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Yet moments later, the narrative reminds us of the tender heart of God—“Jesus wept.” His tears show that He understands our pain, shares in our grief, and cares deeply for us. When Jesus commanded, “Remove the stone,” Martha hesitated because Lazarus had been dead four days and decay had already begun. But Jesus was teaching an important truth: the sovereignty of God does not cancel human responsibility. Jesus could have moved the stone Himself, yet He asked them to do their part. In the same way, there are “stones” in our lives—barriers, sins, fears, habits, or doubts—that God calls us to remove in obedience, so that His resurrection power can be fully revealed.

40 Jesus *said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” 41 So they removed the stone… 43 When He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth.” 44 The man who had died came forth, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus *said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” 45 Therefore many of the Jews who came to Mary, and saw what He had done, believed in Him.

Jesus reminded Martha, “Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” Faith always comes before sight—God often calls us to trust Him first, and then He reveals His power. When they obeyed and removed the stone, Jesus prayed and then cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth.” He did not need to shout; His authority over life and death does not depend on volume. But He spoke loudly so that everyone present would hear unmistakably that it was His command that brought Lazarus back to life. And Lazarus, still wrapped in burial cloths, walked out of the tomb—a living demonstration of Christ’s divine power. Jesus then told the people, “Unbind him, and let him go,” again showing that God does miracles, yet He invites us to participate in the work He is doing. As a result of this undeniable miracle, many who witnessed it believed in Him. Faith opened the door to seeing God’s glory, and seeing God’s glory led many to believe even more deeply.

JOHN 12:17 So the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead, continued to testify about Him.

This verse shows the lasting impact of Lazarus’s resurrection: the people who witnessed Jesus call him out of the tomb could not stop talking about it. What Jesus did in Lazarus’s life became a testimony that spread everywhere. Lazarus himself became a living blessing—a walking reminder of God’s power, compassion, and sovereignty. His story brought glory to Christ and drew many people to faith. In the same way, when God works in our lives—when He heals, restores, forgives, or transforms us—we also become a testimony to others. A life touched by Christ becomes a blessing, pointing people to the Savior who brings life out of death and hope out of despair.

Prayer:

Father God,

We come before You acknowledging that You alone are sovereign. You are God, and there is no other. You have the right and the power to do all that You please, and nothing in heaven or on earth can hinder Your purpose. Thank You that even when evil seems strong—like in the days of Herod, Pontius Pilate, and all who opposed Jesus—Your hand and Your purpose still prevail.

Lord, we confess that suffering is part of life, yet Your Word teaches us to trust You in the midst of it. When we suffer according to Your will, help us to entrust our souls to You, our faithful Creator, and to continue doing what is right. Guard us from the pain that comes from our own sinful choices. Help us not to suffer as wrongdoers, but if we suffer as Christians, let us do so with courage, without shame, and with a heart that glorifies Your name.

Teach us to rest in Your sovereignty while taking responsibility for our actions. Help us to walk in obedience, humility, and wisdom. And in every trial, remind us that You are good, You are faithful, and Your purposes will always be accomplished.

We surrender our lives into Your hands, trusting that You who rule over all things also care deeply for us.

In the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we pray.

Amen.

The content of this article is adapted from the source below:

Attributes of God - God is In Charge: Trust Him