Gilland: Explaining the ‘Doctrine of God’

The world is currently in turmoil. From the trucker situation in Canada, to the tension between Ukraine and Russia, and the rampant inflation here in our own country, stress is increasing and worries are mounting.

It is critical in seasons like this to remember the basics about God. And one of the starting places in that process is trusting in Him as God. That may sound over simplified, or even overly obvious. But for many, it is needed and very good advice.

There can be (and usually is) a gap between our declared belief about God and His sovereignty, and our functional responses to life in matters of trust. Simply stated, we can say that we trust the Lord no matter what, but that trust can and will be tested in a moment of trial.

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Odd, isn’t it? Something like a phone call containing bad news, a doctor’s diagnosis, or a sudden injury suffered by one of our children can be a tool to help us know what we really believe and in whom we trust.

This is why we benefit from studying what God has declared about Himself, both in the word of God (the Bible) and through the study of Christian doctrine.

The purpose of this article is not to get into the deep weeds of theology, but to be a reminder of our basic need to trust God. The Bible says the following about God: He is good, faithful, just, loving, ever-present, almighty, and omniscient. God is sovereign over all things. He is able to help us, to guide and lead us through even the most difficult scenarios.

Now, His sovereignty doesn’t mean that we won’t go through difficult times or avoid suffering—but it does tell us that He hasn’t abandoned us in the middle of the present storm. And He never will.

Getting this truth settled in our hearts now is important, and remembering it during an emergency is vital.

And finally, just because we have heard and believed this truth in the past—and even successfully walked it out—that does not guarantee we won’t fall back into worry and stress. If that happens, and in that moment, we simply return to Him in prayer, repenting of any disbelief, and reaffirm our trust in Him.

There has never been a single believer in God throughout all history whose life was perfectly free from such lapses of faith. Remember the words in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

My prayer is that you are not in stress or turmoil. But if you are, then take up His challenge to come to Him, and watch how He will give you rest.

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