God is in Control: Hope When Life Feels Chaotic

“Our God is in the heavens;
he does all that he pleases.“
(Psalm 115:3, ESV)

We live with the illusion of control.

We plan our days, manage our calendars, secure our futures. We believe that if we work hard enough, think smart enough, and prepare well enough, we can steer our lives in the direction we choose.

And then—suddenly—everything changes.

A diagnosis. A layoff. A betrayal. A tragedy.

And we are reminded: we are not in control.

The question is not whether someone is in control. The question is who.

Is the universe governed by blind chance? By impersonal fate? By competing powers locked in an eternal struggle?

Or is there a throne—and on that throne, a God who is wise, good, and utterly sovereign?

The Bible’s answer is clear and comforting:

“The LORD has established his throne in the heavens,
and his kingdom rules over all.“
(Psalm 103:19, ESV)

A.W. Tozer wrote:

“God sovereignly decreed that man should be free to exercise moral choice,
and man from the beginning has fulfilled that decree by making his choice between good and evil.
When he chooses to do evil, he does not thereby countervail the sovereign will of God
but fulfills it, inasmuch as the eternal decree decided not which choice the man should make
but that he should be free to make it.”
— A.W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy

God’s sovereignty is not tyranny. It is the wise, loving rule of a King who holds all things in His hands.

1. Who Is Really in Control? Our Illusion of Control vs. God’s Throne

We spend much of our lives trying to secure control over:

• Our health
• Our finances
• Our relationships
• Our reputation
• Our future

But the truth is, we control far less than we think.

Scripture repeatedly confronts our illusion:

“Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town
and spend a year there and trade and make a profit’—
yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring.
What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.
Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.’“
(James 4:13–15, ESV)

We make plans. God directs our steps.

“The heart of man plans his way,
but the LORD establishes his steps.“
(Proverbs 16:9, ESV)

This is not meant to paralyze us. It is meant to humble us and point us to the One who is in control.

The alternative to God’s sovereignty is not human freedom—it is chaos.

If no one is in control, then:

• Cancer strikes randomly.
• Tragedy has no meaning.
• Injustice goes unanswered.
• Death has the final word.

But if God is sovereign, then nothing—absolutely nothing—is outside His wise and loving rule.

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2. The God Who Does All He Pleases

Psalm 115:3 – God’s Freedom

“Our God is in the heavens;
he does all that he pleases.“
(Psalm 115:3, ESV)

This is not the picture of a capricious tyrant doing whatever whim strikes Him. It is the picture of a perfectly wise, perfectly good King whose will is always right, whose plans are always best, and whose purposes cannot be thwarted.

God does not need:

• Our permission.
• Our approval.
• Our advice.

He is God. And He does all that He pleases—not because He is selfish, but because what He pleases is always good.

Daniel 4:34–35 – God’s Dominion

King Nebuchadnezzar learned this the hard way. After God humbled him, he declared:

“I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever,
for his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
and his kingdom endures from generation to generation;
all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing,
and he does according to his will among the host of heaven
and among the inhabitants of the earth;
and none can stay his hand
or say to him, ‘What have you done?’“
(Daniel 4:34–35, ESV)

Notice what Nebuchadnezzar learned:

• God’s reign is eternal.
• God’s will is unstoppable.
• God’s authority is absolute.

No one can veto God’s decisions. No one can overrule His decrees. No one can say, “You made a mistake.”

This is sovereignty.

Charles Spurgeon said:

“I believe that every particle of dust that dances in the sunbeam
does not move an atom more or less than God wishes.”
— Charles Spurgeon

If God is not sovereign over all things, then He is not truly sovereign over anything.

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3. Sovereignty and Suffering: Not Glib Answers, But Real Anchors

Here’s where many people stumble.

“If God is sovereign, why do bad things happen?”
“If God is in control, why did He allow my child to die?”
“If God is good, why does He permit evil?”

These are not abstract questions. They are cries from the heart—and they deserve honest, biblical answers.

God’s Sovereignty Does Not Make Him the Author of Evil

Scripture is clear: God is sovereign, but He is not the cause of sin or evil.

“Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God,’
for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.“
(James 1:13, ESV)

Evil exists because of human rebellion in a fallen world. God permits it for reasons known fully to Him, but He does not delight in it, endorse it, or cause it.

God Works All Things for Good

Paul writes one of the most famous—and most misunderstood—verses in the Bible:

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,
for those who are called according to his purpose.”
(Romans 8:28, ESV)

Notice what Paul does not say:

• “All things are good.”
• “All things feel good.”
• “All things make sense.”

What he does say:

• God works all things—even painful, tragic, unjust things—together for good.
• This promise is for those who love God and are called according to His purpose.

The “good” Paul speaks of is not necessarily comfort, ease, or earthly prosperity. It is conformity to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29).

God is not trying to make you comfortable. He is making you Christlike.

John Piper puts it this way:

“God is always doing 10,000 things in your life,
and you may be aware of three of them.”
— John Piper

We see only a sliver of the picture. God sees it all—and He is weaving even the darkest threads into a tapestry of redemption.

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4. From Chaos to Calling: God’s Purpose to Conform Us to Christ

Paul doesn’t stop at verse 28. He explains why God works all things for good:

“For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son,
in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
And those whom he predestined he also called,
and those whom he called he also justified,
and those whom he justified he also glorified.”
(Romans 8:29–30, ESV)

God’s ultimate goal is not our temporal happiness. It is our eternal transformation.

He is making us like Jesus:

• In His love.
• In His humility.
• In His holiness.
• In His trust in the Father.

And sometimes—often—suffering is the tool He uses.

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,
for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
And let steadfastness have its full effect,
that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.“
(James 1:2–4, ESV)

God does not waste our pain. He uses it to shape us, refine us, and conform us to Christ.

This does not make suffering easy. But it does make it purposeful.

Joni Eareckson Tada, who has lived as a quadriplegic for over 50 years, writes:

“God permits what He hates to accomplish what He loves.”
— Joni Eareckson Tada

We may not understand why God allows what He does. But we can trust who He is.

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5. Resting in the Reign of God: Trust, Prayer, and Perseverance

If God is sovereign, how should we live?

a) Trust Him, Even When You Don’t Understand

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.”
(Proverbs 3:5–6, ESV)

We don’t need to understand God’s plan to trust His character.

We don’t need to see the whole picture to believe the Artist knows what He’s doing.

b) Pray Boldly, Knowing God Hears

God’s sovereignty does not make prayer pointless—it makes it powerful.

Because God is sovereign, we can pray with confidence, knowing that:

• He hears us.
• He cares about our requests.
• He works through our prayers to accomplish His purposes.

“This is the confidence that we have toward him,
that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.“
(1 John 5:14, ESV)

Prayer is not twisting God’s arm. It is aligning our hearts with His purposes.

c) Persevere, Knowing God Will Finish What He Started

Because God is sovereign, we can endure hardship, knowing that:

• He has not abandoned us.
• He is working all things for our good.
• He will complete what He began.

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you
will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
(Philippians 1:6, ESV)

You may feel stuck. You may feel forgotten. But if you belong to Christ, God is still at work in your life—and He will not give up on you.

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Living Under God’s Sovereignty Today

1. Surrender Your Plans to God

Stop clinging to the illusion of control. Bring your plans, your dreams, your fears to God and say:

“Not my will, but Yours be done.” (Luke 22:42)

2. Reject Anxiety

If God is sovereign, anxiety is irrational.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication
with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”
(Philippians 4:6, ESV)

God is in control. You don’t have to be.

3. Trust God in Suffering

When life falls apart, cling to Romans 8:28–30. God has not lost control. He is still working—even when you can’t see it.

4. Worship the King

Sovereignty is not just a doctrine to believe—it’s a reason to worship.

“The LORD reigns; let the earth rejoice;
let the many coastlands be glad!”
(Psalm 97:1, ESV)

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Recommended Books on God’s Sovereignty

1. J.I. Packer – Knowing God
   Especially the chapters on God’s sovereignty and guidance—pastoral, clear, and deeply comforting.
2. Jerry Bridges – Trusting God: Even When Life Hurts
   A compassionate, biblical exploration of God’s sovereignty in suffering.
3. R.C. Sproul – Chosen by God
   A clear explanation of God’s sovereignty in salvation and everyday life.
4. John Piper – Providence
   A comprehensive, deeply theological yet accessible exploration of God’s sovereignty over all things.
5. Joni Eareckson Tada – A Place of Healing: Wrestling with the Mysteries of Suffering, Pain, and God’s Sovereignty
   Personal and profound reflections from someone who has lived out these truths.

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A Hymn of God’s Sovereignty

Let these words lift your heart in worship:

How Firm a Foundation

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said,
To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.

When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.

The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to his foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake!

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Beloved, you serve a God who reigns over all things—the seen and the unseen, the joyful and the painful, the present and the future. Nothing is outside His wise and loving control. Rest in His sovereignty. Trust His goodness. And worship the King who holds all things in His hands.