In an exclusive interview with Charisma magazine, Granger Smith shared how God’s sovereignty was working in the middle of the worst part of his life when he tragically lost his son, River.
“I have grown to trust, and believe, and surrender, to a very big God,” Smith said. “A sovereign, providential God.”
Smith got into the weeds of Genesis 50:20, a commonly misunderstood verse, and what it actually means for our lives.
“It doesn’t say ‘work for good,’ it says ‘what you meant for evil God meant for good.’ Meaning He meant this to happen, providentially, sovereignly, meant for this to happen,” Smith said. “He’s always working for a greater good, but that doesn’t take Him off the hook for things that happen. He doesn’t react. He’s not playing catch-up; it’s not like something evil or bad happens and then God says, ‘oh don’t worry guys, let Me try to rush in here and fix it for you and we’re going to wrap it up.'”
While explaining the sovereignty of the Lord, Smith also says that this is where understanding His grander and purposeful plan comes into play. He says that God has a plan and a purpose, and it was in the middle of his greatest sorrows that he saw this element of God’s character come to life.
“God has a plan and a purpose, and that kind of theology really has emerged through the deepest, darkest ashes for me in our grief and loss,” Smith said. “That is a big God that understands. He is compassionate and He is near to the brokenhearted, but He’s also totally in control.”
For Smith, the key to understanding and knowing more of who God is at the core has been developed through his personal devotional time each day. In order to really trust a big God, one must spend time in His presence.
“I believe part of that is our daily Scripture reading, walking through the Bible in some kind of active plan,” Smith said. “I’m recommending a daily dose of some kind of reading plan that you’re working through in context through a book of the Bible and you’re including this in your daily lives.”
Smith believes spending time in the Word of God is not only driving himself to go deeper to know the Lord, but he is trying to lead by example for his children so they can be equipped with a biblical foundation no matter what they encounter in life.
“I hope that really clicks for them one day when it matters to them so that’s kind of a future investment I’m putting in just for them,” Smith said.
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Abby Trivett is a marketing copywriter and coordinator for Charisma Media.
Abby Trivett is copywriter for Charisma and an editorial intern.
