by Elder Mike Chon

When we approach decisions in our life, we sometimes wonder if we are choosing what God has planned for us. Does God have a sovereign will for my life? Did I choose the decision that God had planned for me? In the last article we examined the steps to making decisions in accordance with Godly wisdom. Today we will examine the characteristics of God’s sovereignty and how that helps us make our decisions using wisdom.

There is only One that is sovereign over all things. In 1 Timothy 6:15, God is declared “the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords.” He is the only One that is ultimately sovereign in this universe. So what does Scripture reveal about God’s sovereign will?

1. First, it is certain. It will not be frustrated or changed by men, angels, or anything else (Daniel 4:35).
2. Second, God’s sovereign will is detailed in all things. God’s sovereign will ultimately determines which of our plans find fulfillment (James 4:13-15), the existence of creation (Rev. 4:11), the ruler’s personal plans (Prov. 21:1), the result of casting lots (Prov. 16:33), the believer’s suffering (1 Peter 3:17), and our personal salvation (Rom. 8:29-30).  So not only is it above all things, but nothing can escape it.
3. The third thing we need to understand about God’s sovereign will is that it is hidden. God hides His sovereign will until it happens. So if you are wondering what God’s sovereign will for next Wednesday is, then you’ll just have to wait until next Thursday. Only God knows what will happen in advance and all the whys of His sovereign will (Deut. 29:29; Psalm 115:3; Rom. 11:33-34). The only exception to this is if God has revealed the future in prophecy.
4. Fourth, God’s sovereign will is the supreme determiner of all things, without violating human moral responsibility or making God the author of sin (Acts 2:23; James 1:13). (I will expand on this point in a future article.) Even though God is completely sovereign, humans are moral agents who make real decisions for which we are responsible, therefore we cannot be fatalistic in our approach to life.
5. Lastly, God’s sovereign will is perfect in that it will ultimately lead to God’s greatest glory (Rom. 11:36). Many times in our life we will face circumstances that are difficult or cause tremendous suffering. Even though we may not fully understand why we had to endure this difficulty, we can know that our experience was part of the sovereign plan of an all-wise and loving God. God’s plan is always perfect because God is perfect.

So how do we finally make a decision in our life that is God honoring?

1. First, our plans (Prov. 21:5) need to come from a submissive heart to the sovereignty of God (James 4:13-16).
2. Second, as we examined before, our circumstances, (such as open doors), should always be weighed with wisdom, and not read into to determine God’s will for our lives. Remember open doors are not commands by God to go through, instead they are opportunities that should be evaluated with wisdom.

After following through the steps from our last article in seeking wisdom in our decision making, then we are able to make a decision that is moral and wise. If you have concluded that one decision is wiser than another, than it would be sinful to knowingly choose the less wise or less moral option. Remember God has commanded us to be wise and mature, to go against that command would be sinful. If two options are equally wise, which happens often, than you can choose either option with the confidence that God is pleased. With all our decisions that we make, we must always trust in our sovereign God to work out all the details together for good. Hopefully this series has helped in understanding how to approach the decisions that we need to make in life to God’s glory alone.