4019 life, believers’experience of

God is at work in all that happens to believers, whether to warn them, to draw them to himself or to do them good.

God has a purpose in all the experiences that believers have in life

Ro 8:28; Eph 1:11 See also Ge 21:22; Ge 28:16; Ge 39:20-21; Ge 45:5-8; 1Sa 2:6-9; 1Ch 29:11-12; Job 42:10-13; Ps 75:6-7; Ac 17:28; 1Pe 4:12

Rejection of this conviction leads to despair Ecc 1:1-2,16-17

God uses every experience in the lives of believers for good

To warn and correct Ps 119:67 See also Ge 12:17; 2Ch 7:13-14; Job 5:17; Isa 38:17; Isa 48:9-10; Am 4:10-11; Ro 2:4; Heb 12:5-11; Rev 9:20-21

To test and exercise believers’trust in God Dt 8:15-16 See also Ex 15:22-25; Jdg 2:21-22; Ps 23:1-6; Ps 81:7; Isa 43:1-2; Na 1:7; Ro 8:35-39; Php 4:12; Heb 11:17-19; Heb 13:6

To purify and prepare believers for glory 2Co 4:16-17 See also Job 23:10; Ps 66:10; Isa 48:10; Jer 9:7; Zec 13:8-9; Ro 5:3-5; Ro 8:28-30; 1Pe 1:6-7

To benefit others Est 4:14; 2Co 1:3-6; 2Co 4:15; Php 1:12-14; 2Ti 2:10

In all of life’s experiences believers should be thankful and trusting

Php 4:6 See also Ge 8:20 Noah’s sacrifice would, among other things, express his thankfulness; Dt 8:18; Job 1:20-21; Ps 103:1-2; Pr 3:5-6; Ac 16:25; Eph 5:20; 1Ti 4:4-5

Believers do not merit the blessings they receive

Ps 103:10 See also Ge 32:10; Ge 50:19-21; Ezr 9:13; La 3:22; Lk 7:6; Ro 6:23

See also