Doctrine: Sovereignty

After struggling with troubling questions and hearing God’s surprising answers, Habakkuk found peace and comfort as he rested in the security of God’s sovereignty. Key Points and Insertion of Doctrine into Passage: Habakkuk 1:6; 2:3; 3:16-19 God’s sovereignty refers to His ultimate control over all circumstances and outcomes to accomplish His wise purposes. Nothing exists or operates outside the scope of God’s rule and authority.

The exercise of God’s sovereignty incorporates His unlimited power, holiness, goodness, justice, and the vastness of all of His attributes as well. God’s character undergirds all His actions.

Because God is who He is, His absolute control stands as a source of comfort.

We can trust God’s purposes in every situation, especially when we lack understanding or wonder why.

Habakkuk’s struggle with God’s plan helps us learn to pour out our questions to God and lean into His sovereignty.

When I do not believe in God’s sovereign control over human history and my life, I struggle to make sense of many things. Without an awareness of God’s prevailing purposes, life remains a string of random and unexplainable events. I just do my best to navigate a world filled with uncertainties and often succumb to despair.

When I believe and find rest in God’s sovereign control over all things throughout time, I recognize that my human understanding cannot fully grasp all that God is doing. God’s wise and perfect plan can indeed be trusted. Knowing this provides a source of comfort that transcends any situation I face. The past, present, and future securely rest within God’s absolute control.

Possible Applications for Leaders: The following concepts can be developed into applications specific to your leaders: God controls what you cannot. o God uses challenging situations to teach His children to find their only true security in Him. o What struggle are you facing that involves outcomes outside your control? o How are you helped as you remember that nothing escapes God’s wise and sovereign control? God’s sovereignty can be trusted, even when you cannot understand His ways. o We often struggle to explain why God allows what He allows. This tension is part of life on earth. o How will you allow what you know about God to give you peace about what you cannot understand about life? o What difficulty will you entrust to God and His higher ways? God’s sovereignty provides comfort while living in a world that feels uncertain. o God’s plans and purposes cannot be thwarted by anyone or anything. This truth offers amazing comfort. o What helps you intentionally focus on who God is and how He works when life becomes unexpectedly difficult? o Reread Habakkuk’s declaration of faith in 3:17-19. Ask God to help you trust Him – no matter what happens!