When God Thwarts

I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners. 

Job 29:25

Men are so ignorant of their own hearts that they are incapable of determining what is best for them.  Even regenerate men are but partially sanctified and enlightened.  But God searches the heart. He understands our whole case.  He knows what is most for our good. He sees our strong corruptions and sad deficiencies. When, in mercy to His child, He comes to heal his spiritual maladies, He does not take counsel with human reasoning or desires.  It is right,it is best that He should act according to the wisdom which is infallible. He employs the requisite remedies.  Often they are distasteful to flesh and blood. Sometimes they are frightful to contemplate, and terrible to endure.


Then man, in his ignorance, too often says, "If God loved me—He would not give me so bitter a cup to drink!"  But this is man's folly.  Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?  Shall human weakness control divine power?  Shall finite knowledge prescribe to omniscience?  It is the height of wickedness for a worm of the dust—to revise the decisions, or pre-judge the justice of the Almighty.  We would expect that God would deal with us in an incomprehensible way—if we did but remember how base, sordid, and narrow are our views and plans; and how holy, glorious, and eternal are His purposes and designs.


We are quite prone to magnify both the good and evil things of time —to the disparagement of those of eternity.  But when God thwarts, afflicts, and mortifies us—He makes us look at the things which are unseen and eternal.  If He racks this body with pain—it is that we may think of our house, not made with hands, eternal, and in the heavens.  The shaking of this clay tabernacle forces upon us the recollection that this present world is not our rest—and that we ought to be seeking a heavenly country.  If the godliest man on earth had his own way without divine guidance—he would soon be in full march towards destruction!

How kind is God in wisely and mercifully deciding so many things for us!  God very mercifully marks out our course for us.  God is governor.  We are servants.  To us belong obedience, submission, and acquiescence. It is not ours . . .
  to guide,
  to decide what is best,
  to rule the world,
  to shape the course of events.

Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? (Romans 9:20)

~William S. Plumer