God’s Sovereignty is the Answer to Perception of Unanswered Prayer

In sports, we cheer athletes on to inspire them to achieve.
We do not cheer on God. He will perform His will with or without us.
He does not need us; we need Him.

That is why we must recognize the Sovereignty of God amid our bold, faith-filled prayers.

What is the Sovereignty of God? After meditating on a few definitions, I have settled with this:

The Sovereignty of God is his absolute right to do all things according to his will.

So my conclusion, I will pray as hard as I can, as long as I can.
When the situation is over, I will trust God’s Sovereignty. This answer is not always satisfying, but this perspective holds true to Scripture.

Is God Sovereign Over the Weather?

Weather - big rig

Well, yes. That seems obvious.  He is sovereign over all things. Yet, we often complain about the weather mindlessly, as if our negative attitude about the heat or cold will change the situation. Now I understand that most of our complaints about the weather are simply conversation fillers as we participate in small talk throughout the day. But, I have met many people whose disposition is determined by what is happening in the weather.

As we looked at the Providence of God in my Wednesday class, we found many Scriptures that acknowledged and praised God through the expression of the weather. Here is a sample of some of the most impactful verses on this subject:

Psalm 148:7-8 (HCSB)
Praise the Lord from the earth 
. . .
lightning and hail, snow and cloud,
powerful wind that executes His command.

Job 37:6-13 (ESV)
For to the snow he says, ‘Fall on the earth,’

    likewise to the downpour, his mighty downpour.
He seals up the hand of every man,
    that all men whom he made may know it.
Then the beasts go into their lairs,
    and remain in their dens.
From its chamber comes the whirlwind,
    and cold from the scattering winds.
10 By the breath of God ice is given,
    and the broad waters are frozen fast.
11 He loads the thick cloud with moisture;
    the clouds scatter his lightning.
12 They turn around and around by his guidance,
    to accomplish all that he commands them
    on the face of the habitable world.
13 Whether for correction or for his land
    or for love, he causes it to happen.

Matthew 5:45 (HCSB)
For He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

While I do believe we need to care for creation as Christians conservationists, we have far less control of the weather than we’d like to think.  Just consider about how often the meteorologist miss it on their prognostications!

Father, the weather is another example of your Sovereign, Providential character!