R/A - The Radical Agenda

I have been pondering the implications of God's Sovereignty.

If God is utterly, totally, completely in control of every last detail of the universe, (and the confession of the church through the ages is that He is), and if He really does cause everything to work together for good for those who are the called according to His purpose, (and Romans 8 makes that pretty clear), then how can I react with grumbling and complaining when things don't go my way?

Grumbling and complaing are evidences of a lack of faith, and without faith, it is impossible to please God.

I'll confess it has taken me some time to feel that I have even begun to wrap my head around this, but I can see no other way to view the circumstances of my life. Paul made it very clear that, for the elect:

(a) nothing can separate us from God's love
(b) we will probably suffer quite a bit

Does this mean that we live in the best of all possible worlds? Of course not. But we have nothing to fear from famine, sickness, nakedness, peril, sword, height, depth, things present, things to come, life, death, angels or demons. God rules over all and has already declared the end from the beginning.

I am beginning to conclude that I have tolerated an unbelieving attitude in myself and in my family for far too long.