How may a Christian work his heart into resignation to the will of God when sad providences approach him and forebode great troubles and afflictions coming on towards him?

I know that I am supposed to trust God. But how do I do that when everything is so dark? When I am in the middle of despair, how do I trust a God that I can barely see? What do I do when I do not see the light at the end of the tunnel but only glimpses of more trouble and anguish? This is the question that will close Chapter 12.

Flavel knows his Bible. He reminds us that we cannot resign our hearts to do anything. You get the idea that he formed this question, and then begins to tear it down a little. On the heart Flavel says, "We cannot resign it, and subject it to the will of God whenever we desire so to do." It is indeed our duty, but Flavel reminds us that Jesus said apart from Him we can do nothing. Not some things. Nothing!

Clearing up this Flavel journeys towards answering the question; but he has one more stop to make. We must become like David in 2 Samuel 15:25-26. "And the king said unto Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city; if I shall find favor in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me back again, and show me both it and his habitation: But if he thus say, I have no delight in thee: behold here am I, let him do to me as seemth good unto him". Until we have that attitude, says Flavel, we will "have no peace within". We must come with such submission to the Lord that says, "do with me as seems good to You". Now come the suggestions for us to consider:

• Labor to work into your hearts a deep and fixed sense of the infinite wisdom of God and your own folly and ignorance
• It is nothing but our pride and arrogance over-valuing our own understandings that makes resignation so hard
• Deeply consider the sinfulness and vanity of torturing your own thoughts about the issues of doubtful providence
• Set before you those choice Scripture patterns of submission to the Lord's will in as deep, yea, much deeper points of self-denial than this before you, and shame yourselves out of this quarreling attitude with Providence
• Study the singular benefits and advantages of a will resigned up and melted into the will of God
• Think how repugnant an unsubmissive attitude is both to your prayers and professions

Return to The Mystery of Providence Chapter 12

How may we attain an evenness and steadiness of spirit under the changes and contrary aspects of Providence upon us?

Simon's nickname was Peter. He was supposed to be the rock. And I suspect that every believer is to be rock-like. We should not be shifting amidst the various situations we find ourselves in. There is a reason that people ought to ask us about the hope that we have. We should be anchors when everything else at sea is blown by the wind and waves. But how can the Christian attain this? How can he do it in comfort? How about in sorrow? What about when he himself is doubting? This is what Flavel will now consider.

How to maintain in comfort:

• Urge humbling and awakening considerations upon our own hearts
• Realize that your blessing is no sign of God's special distinguishing love
• Think how unstable and changeable these comforts are
• Notice that they will reveal the carnality and corruption in your heart

How to maintain in calamity:

• Note that these "strokes" are often of great use to the people of God
• Nothing can separate you from Christ; not even this calamity
• Remember, it will end shortly

How to maintain in doubt:

• Consider the vanity and uselessness of your anxiety
• The disposal and management of our affairs is wholly in the hand of the Father
• God is faithful to every syllable of His Word, including your sanctification
• Commit your way unto the Lord

Return to The Mystery of Providence Chapter 12

How may a Christian discern when a providence is sanctified and comes fromt he love of God to him?

How do we know whether our situation is from the hand of God and meant for our sanctification or if something is from the hand of Satan and is meant for our destruction? That is the essential question that Flavel is addressing. To our spoiled American minds we probably think that if it benefits us then it must be from God. How could a new house NOT be from God? Of course its a blessing. Of course my refund check is a blessing. Of course my new increase in salary is a blessing. Are you sure? That is what Flavel is asking. How do we know if difficult things are means for our good or if they are meant to harm us? How do we know if good circumstances are blessings or curses?

Flavel begins by marking a difference between the believer and the unbeliever. The unbeliever even though he may enjoy things it really does him no good. "So the best things wicked men enjoy do them no good". Yet for the believer all things work together for their good. Our author humbly admits that from the nature of things we cannot discern whether it is good or bad. But we can discern if something is good or bad for us based upon its fruits. And it is these that we consider.

The difficulty is probably being used for our sanctification (good) if:

• It comes in a proper season
• It is used to purge sin
• It turns our hearts against sin, and not against God
• It causes us to draw near to God
• Rather than alienating our heart from God it inflames our love to Him
• When it is accompanied by divine teachings

The comfort is probably NOT being used for our sanctification (good) if:

• It does not lead us to prayer and thanksgiving
• We acquired the comfort by sinful means
• It makes us forget God and cast off our care of duty
• It is used to serve our fleshly lusts
• It swells the heart with pride and self-conceitedness
• It takes us off our duty and makes us negligent
• It distracts us and makes us focus on enjoyments and unaware of sins

The comfort is probably being used for our sanctification (good) if:

• It humbles our souls kindly before God
• We become cautious of sin
• It engages our heart in love to God
• It is not seen as our portion, but God alone is still our portion
• Our souls are more ready and enlarged for duty to God
• It causes us to break forth in prayer and thanksgiving to God

How may a Christian be supported in waiting upon God, while Providence delays the performance of the mercies to him for which he has long prayed and waited?

One of the most difficult things in the Christian life is waiting upon God. John Flavel is strong in his doctrine. He knows that "God appoints the time; when that appointed time is come the expected mercies will not fail". But he also knows heartache. He also knows it is difficult to wait. Therefore, he gives the believer a few directives for these periods of waiting.

Consider these things:

• "Our sinkings of heart are the immediate effects of unbelief" (p.192)
• "Though Providence does not yet perform the mercies you wait for, yet you have no ground to entertain hard thoughts of God, for it is possible God never gave you any ground for your expectation of these things from Him." (p.193)
• The season in which God gives His up to Him, not you.
• Spiritual mercies are also "dispensed to us in such measures and at such seasons as the Lord sees fit, and many of His own people live for a long time without them." (p.195)
• "Enjoyment of your deisres is the thing that will please you, but resignation of your wills is that which is pleasing to God." (p.195)
• "Are not those mercies you expect from God worth waitin gfor? If not, it is your folly to be troubled for the lack of them". (p.196)
• "You have made God wait long for your reformation and obedience; and therefore you have no reason to think it much if God makes you wait long for your consolation." (p.197)

How may a Christian discover the will of God and his own duty under dark and doubtful providences?

This would be a great chapter for teleheretics televangelists to read. More so it would be great for college students. I remember that time in my life when it seemed that every question lead to, "What is God's will for...." Who should I marry? What should I do with my life? On and on the questions went. Each day had some new occurence that would be interpreted through these questions. Because this girl like me, does this mean that God is opening up the door for me to marry her. Because I seem especially equipped at this job does it mean that God is calling me to it?

Flavel seems to make it simple. "The way we now have to know the will of God concerning us in difficult cases is to search and study the Scriptures." Well, you ask, does that mean I have to marry someone named Ruth or Rahab or Martha? How does the Bible answer these questions? What if the Bible gives "no particular rule"? Flavel then says, "there we are to apply general rules and govern ourselves according to the analogy and proportion they bear towards each other".

So, does that mean the girl winking at me means I should marry her? And this is where Flavel is very careful. "The safesty way therefore to make use of providences in such cases is to consider them as they follow the commands or promises of the Word and not singly and separately in themselves." What does that mean? It means that you probably ought not to read into Providences unless you can find confirmation in them from Scripture. Rather than interpreting the wink of the pretty girl as a sign of Providence, just interpret it as a wink from a pretty girl. Do not translate every occurence as a communication from the Lord. Only those that line up with Scripture.

Lest Flavel leave us with unsatisfying instruction he also gives us 5 general rules:

1. Get the true fear of God upon your hearts. Be really afraid of offending Him. God will not hide His mind from such a soul.
2. Study the Word more, and the concerns and interests of the world less
3. Reduce what you know into practice, and you shall know what is your duty to practice
4. Pray for illumination and direction in the way that you should go
5. Follow Providence so far as it agrees with the Word and no further

Return to The Mystery of Providence Chapter 12

We are almost finished with The Mystery of Providence. Chapter 12, one away from the final, considers the problems associated with Providence. With reading the chapter you expect Flavel to begin discussing some of the difficult doctrines, like the problem of evil. If you are expecting something other than being humbled under the mighty hand of God, then you will be sorely disappointed in this chapter. Flavel does not address all the "intellectual" problems with this doctrine, but instead addresses the "practical" problems. Again these points are far too lengthy to consider in one post. We will link to each problem and then have discussion at the end. The problems are thus:

• How may a Christian discover the will of God and his own duty under dark and doubtful providences?
• How may a Christian be supported in waiting upon God, while Providence delays the performance of the mercies to him for which he has long prayed and waited?
• How may a Christian discern when a providence is sanctified and comes from the love of God to him?
• How may we attain an evenness and steadiness of spirit under the changes and contrary aspects of Providence upon us?
• How may a Christian work his heart into resignation to the will of God when sad providences approach him and forebode great troubles and afflictions coming on towards him?

Discussion:

Can you truly say that you are afraid of offending God. Flavel's statement on p.188, "Be really afraid of offending Him", hit me like a ton of bricks. I am not so certain that I am REALLY afraid of offending Him. Maybe moderately. Is it possible to be too comfortable in the benefits of the Cross, so that I no longer tremble as I ought? I think it is.

Is there really any more sound advice than what Flavel gives on page 189, when he basically tells those inquiring into the will of God to obey that which they do know? I have seen so many instances, in my own life especially, where believers get distracted by the unknown to the neglect of that which is known.

What do you think Flavel means when he says, "But for the seasons which are of our own fixing and appointment, as God is not tied to them, so His providences are not governed by them..."? What seasons do you think are our own fixing? Can a Calvinist talk like this?

How can you argue with this? "Are not those mercies you expect from God worth waiting for? If not, it is your folly to be troubled for the lack of them". (p.196)

"You have made God wait long for your reformation and obedience; and therefore you have no reason to think it much if God makes you wait long for your consolation." (p.197) Whoa there Mr. Flavel, can a Calvinist speak of us "making God wait"?

Have you previously considered this truth? "It is nothing but our pride and arrogance over-valuing our own understandings that makes resignation so hard". Oh, what pride we must have to think that we know better than the Almighty!

Have you noticed yet how different a Puritan counsels compared to many modern "counselors"? They are quick to remind you of your own sinfulness and utterly destroy your self-help. They are quick to point out your fault and your lack of duty before such a holy God. They labor to rip every bit of self-righteousness from our souls and strip us naked before the Cross. How different is that than much of the counseling that we hear today? How different is this than the shoddy counseling that tries to re-instill our sense of self-worthiness?