God's Sovereignty in Our Suffering
January 9, 2023 • by Ashley Setterlind
God is sovereign, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.
You may call it an odd rendition of a familiar children’s song; I call it a crucial life lesson for Christ-followers and a truth I’ve clung to during my most difficult seasons of suffering.
Springtime three years ago did not usher in the fresh growth that typically accompanies the season. Instead of new life blooming in my soul as it did from the ground, it was the beginning of death after death—of dreams, of relationships, and even one of my children. Within the span of 36 months, my circumstances became overwhelmingly full of trials and transitions:
Moving away from my hometown while seven-months pregnant and parenting an 18-month-old.
My husband surviving an accident that “should have” taken his life after having just moved and while three-months-postpartum with our second-born.
The collective societal upheaval as we faced quarantines and a global pandemic.
The joyous celebration over our third pregnancy, followed by the devastating death of that sweet baby in my womb and the horrific experience of miscarriage.
The “regular” grief process being hijacked by layers of complex emotional and spiritual abuse at the hands of people who should have been trustworthy.
Anxiety, depression, PTSD symptoms, and at my lowest, a near suicide attempt.
A tumultuous fourth pregnancy with our “rainbow baby,” during which my father was hit by a vehicle as a pedestrian two weeks before my due date; undergoing four leg surgeries and relearning to walk while over 1,000 miles away from me.
Oh, and did I mention that in the middle of my postpartum whirlwind, God called our family to uproot once again? I am writing these words in a new state, with a new community, and a new local church. It’s an incredible gift, and also another large transition.
Needless to say, it’s kind of been a lot, ya know?
“God is sovereign, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”
Your Suffering Is Unique
Your story doesn’t look like mine, and mine doesn’t look like yours. You may read this synopsis and think, “woah…that’s a crazy three years.” On the contrary, you might think these experiences seem light compared to your own.
Let me say this loudly and clearly:
I see you.
My heart hurts with you.
I am for you.
More importantly, God sees you (Gen. 16:13, Ps. 34:15, Heb. 4:13).
His heart hurts with you (Ps. 103: 13-14, Heb. 4:15-16).
And he is for you (Ps. 118:6, Rom. 8:31).
Suffering Is Universal
Suffering interrupts all of our lives eventually. Sometimes, she’s wild and erratic like a derecho, leaving us breathless with the speed at which she came, rearranged our life, and left again. Other times, she’s like a lingering fruit fly infestation—easier to contain, but still painfully annoying—and more tempting to dismiss as “not that big of a deal compared to what other people have going on.”
Friend, these parts of my life that I offer here are the prologue to the message I want to share with you, not the point. Descriptions of our pain help connect us with one another as co-laborers in the gospel. At times, knowledge of specific ways we’ve suffered are necessary for the Body to hear so that we can appropriately follow Paul’s instruction in Romans 12:15 to “weep with those who weep.”
But the details of our sufferings only matter as much as they correlate to our resulting dependence on Christ. Lest we become trapped in a victim mentality, our circumstances are only worth noting when they can point us to the faithful character of God (in contrast to our faithlessness).
My season of suffering has been the ultimate paradox—full of both the darkest moments I’ve ever known and the most fulfilling union with Christ while receiving comfort from his Holy Spirit. I’ve experienced both the greatest grief and the greatest joy as God has taught me through my suffering that there is indeed no life apart from resting in Jesus. He is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). And he is the healer of every hurt (Ps. 147:3; Rev. 21:4).
“God has taught me through my suffering that there is indeed no life apart from resting in Jesus.”
God’s Sovereignty Mends Our Suffering
We see this dichotomy beautifully fleshed out in Lamentations. God’s sovereignty over our suffering is shown as the author pens, “Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has commanded it?” (Lam. 3:37). In contrast, an earlier portion of the passage acknowledges how this same truth is a deep comfort in the valleys of life, “But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” (Lam. 3:21-24).
And again, Lamentations 5:15 gives an account of suffering, while verse 19 proclaims his sovereignty, “The joy of our hearts has ceased; our dancing has been turned to mourning. . . . But you, O LORD, reign forever; your throne endures to all generations.”
God’s authority as King is the antidote to our aching hearts.
God’s Sovereign Purpose In Suffering
We don’t need to know all of the answers for why *fill in the blank* is happening before deciding to trust God. Our pain doesn’t have to make sense before God uses it for his greater purpose. Even as we groan earthside, Scripture reveals reasons to rejoice over the results of suffering in our lives—endurance, character, and hope (Rom. 5:3-5). Our dependence on God is never so apparent as during periods of suffering. Sometimes, the character he wants to develop in us for his glory can only come through hardship. We can learn to receive this as a gift; that our Master Gardener’s pruning produces the fruit of his Spirit in us.
Further, we can look directly to Jesus as our example, who “learned obedience through what he suffered.” (Heb. 5:8). Christ’s selfless obedience to the Father while staring suffering in the face is a priceless model to believers, for it is his suffering that ultimately gave us life! I want to be like him, faithful in obedience to the end—even through pain. Like Jesus, may it be said of me that my suffering gave others “life” by pointing the way to the Father.
Whatever we experience until we meet him face to face, we can remain confident that he is still sovereign in our suffering. Come what may, we can trust that he will accomplish his purposes in us (Phil. 1:6). And when our hearts waver with uncertainty, we can remember that we are secure in the God who is over all.
Questions For Reflection:
Where is the greatest pain-point in your life currently? Have you intentionally surrendered your suffering to the Lord as an act of trust in his sovereignty?
Are you remaining open to both receiving the Spirit’s comfort and hearing his conviction throughout your difficult circumstance?
How do you see the Father teaching you obedience through your suffering?
Ashley Setterlind is a pastor’s wife, mama to three littles on earth + one in heaven, writer, and worship leader. She loves studying theology, drinking iced vanilla lattes, and being cozy. She is passionate about equipping women to live for God’s glory and can rarely be found without an audiobook in her earbuds. Ashley lives in the mountains of Western North Carolina with her family and their beloved German Shepherd. You can connect with her on Instagram or read more words like these on her blog.
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