In what ways can we trust God's sovereignty during personal trials and afflictions? Setting the Scene: When Soot Turns to Sores Exodus 9:10: “So they took soot from a furnace and stood before Pharaoh. Moses tossed it into the air, and festering boils broke out on man and beast.” Do you feel the sting? One handful of soot, one divine command, and the most powerful empire on earth is writhing in pain. The scene is graphic, yet it shouts a comforting truth: every particle of soot, every boil, every moment of anguish is under God’s precise control. Seeing Sovereignty in the Soot What Exodus 9:10 teaches about God’s rule during suffering: • Absolute control: God doesn’t merely react to Egypt’s injustice; He initiates a specific plague at a specific moment (cf. Exodus 7:5). • Personal awareness: The boils hit “man and beast,” but Israel is spared (Exodus 9:4). He distinguishes His people even when pain is widespread. • Purposeful judgment and mercy: The plague displays justice toward Pharaoh and mercy toward Israel—two sides of the same sovereign coin (Exodus 9:16). How This Shapes Trust in Our Own Afflictions 1. My pain is never random. If God controls soot in Pharaoh’s court, He governs the details of my diagnosis, my job loss, my heartbreak. 2. He knows the limit. Just as He kept the boils from Israel, He keeps my suffering on a leash: “He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear” (1 Corinthians 10:13). 3. He weaves redemptive purposes I may not yet see. Egypt’s boils prepared the way for Israel’s freedom; my present trial may prepare tomorrow’s deliverance. Supporting Snapshots from the Rest of Scripture • Job 1:21 – “The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away.” Sovereignty in loss. • Isaiah 45:7 – “I form the light and create darkness; I bring prosperity and create calamity.” Sovereignty over contrasts. • Romans 8:28 – “God works all things together for good.” Sovereignty for good. • Psalm 119:75 – “In faithfulness You have afflicted me.” Sovereignty as faithfulness. • 2 Corinthians 4:17 – “Our light and momentary affliction is producing…an eternal weight of glory.” Sovereignty leading to glory. • James 1:2-4 – Trials perfect faith; sovereignty uses affliction as a refining fire. Practical Steps to Rest in His Rule • Speak truth aloud: “Lord, You ordained this moment.” (Psalm 31:15) • Recall past rescues: write them down, revisit them. • Anchor in specific promises: memorize Romans 8:28; Isaiah 41:10. • Worship intentionally: praise turns focus from the boil to the Benefactor. • Serve others in their pain: sovereignty frees you from self-absorption. Encouragement in One Sentence The God who commanded a handful of soot to become sores is the same God commanding every detail of your trial to become eventual good—so you can rest, even while it hurts. |
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