Faith · Field Notes for Fathers # When God's [Sovereignty](/lexicon/sovereignty) Collides With Our Pain I didn't sleep last night. My mind wrestled with a question as old as Job, and as raw as today's news: **What do we do with God's sovereignty when His justice feels unreasonable?** ## The Question That Shakes Faith A public death in the headlines - a young husband and father, gone - pressed the ache again: If earthly power can mobilise protection at will... **is God less resourceful than men?** That single thought can rattle a believer. "Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?" God's answer to Job wasn't a seminar; it was a summons to trust. ## Why Truth Still Matters to Fathers As Christian fathers, we cannot shrug at reality. We are raising children in a world where **truth is constantly on trial**. - Lies shape institutions. - Lies set norms. - Lies stand unless someone contests them with clarity and charity. **How do we fight without being deformed by the fight?** **How do we engage culture without losing the family we're fighting for?** ## Personal Brush With Death (Why I'm Not Theorising) I've stared death in the face: - A bullet at a student protest missed me and killed the bus driver behind me. - I've left my body, seen my family weep, then returned. - I've been warned in seconds and pulled out of danger. I've buried three sisters, two brothers, my father, my childhood friend Waidi, and my best brother David. Loss is not theory; it's biography. And still I've clung to God's faithfulness - even when another man's death shakes me differently. ## The Overlap We Live In Scripture names Satan "the god of this world" (_2 Corinthians 4:4_), and yet Christ has triumphed at the cross. So which is it? "In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." We live in the **already/not-yet**: Christ has **overcome** (already) and we still face **tribulation** (not yet ended). [Sovereignty](/lexicon/sovereignty) doesn't erase sorrow; it **locates** it inside a larger victory. ## God's Justice vs. Our Sense of Justice I know Job's reply - **we cannot fathom** - but God also invites reasoning. He calls us to **seek**, **knock**, and **wrestle**. So I'm honest before Him: - I'm not afraid of death. - I'm not doubting eternity. - I'm asking: **Is this truly the better story You're writing - even when it feels cruel?** Biblically, His goodness is not the absence of pain; it's His presence and purpose **through** it. At the cross, **injustice became salvation**. That doesn't trivialise grief; it dignifies it with meaning. "We know that for those who love God all things work together for good..." ## Praxis for Fathers Under [Sovereignty](/lexicon/sovereignty) **[Sovereignty](/lexicon/sovereignty)** is not an excuse for passivity; it's a foundation for **holy agency**. 1. **Hold your post.** In your home, church, and city - show up with order and compassion. 2. **Guard your mouth.** Truth without kindness is brutality; kindness without truth is weakness. 3. **Build receipts.** Live so your life, logs, and witnesses preach louder than allegations. 4. **Pray and plan.** Intercession + intelligent action is how faith _works_. 5. **Protect your margin.** Sleep, Scripture, sweat, sunlight, support - the habits that keep you usable. **A 60-Second Daily Prayer** [Father](/lexicon/father), I trust Your wisdom when mine fails. Jesus, govern my words today; make me brave and gentle. Holy Spirit, steady my emotions and guide my steps. Amen. ## When the Night Feels Long (Four Anchors) - **Lament is holy.** Psalms give you language; use it. - **Community is oxygen.** Don't bleed alone - text a brother, join the prayer. - **Work the small orders.** Make the bed, clear the sink, send the kind email. - **Speak life aloud.** Over your child, your case, your city. Suffering is not your identity. **Sonship is.** ## For Group Study (4 Questions) 1. Where does God's sovereignty comfort you - and where does it offend you? 2. Which habit helps you resist despair most: prayer, planning, or brotherhood? Why? 3. Where are you tempted to "win online" but lose at home? 4. What one act of faithfulness will your children feel this week? ## Final Word I don't have all the answers. But I know this: **Truth matters because lies destroy.** **Fathers must engage - even when we bleed.**