~ written by Connie Dunmyer
Deo Volente is Latin for “God willing”. As a kid (a good number of years ago), I can remember the adults around me often saying “God willing” after stating they would do this or that. “We will come over Friday night, God willing.” “We’ll be there for Christmas, God willing.” “We should arrive by 2:00, God willing.”
A more country, slang version was “...be the good Lord willin’ and the creeks don’t rise!” And although it may have been said passively, or “without thinking”, there is something to be said for remembering these words actively, and meaning them.
“You ought to say, 'If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.'”” James 4:15
“We may make our plans, but God has the last word.” Proverbs 16:1
“And which of you … can add a single hour to his span of life?” Matthew 6:27
“You do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” James 4:14
Essentially, not a single one of us knows what tomorrow may bring. I certainly am not sovereign. And even if I did know what would happen, what could I possibly do about it?
Life is not always easy. We all face adversity to one degree or another:
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Those are some pretty big things and doesn’t even count the relatively “smaller things” we deal with daily:
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These can mess me up pretty quick. Where is my “Deo Volente” attitude then?
“Call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.” Psalm 50:15
Yes – each of these (let alone multiples) are difficult and overwhelming and stressful. So the question becomes:
Can I “trust” God? Is He dependable?
Can “I” trust God? Is my relationship with Him dependable and confident – even though I may not see evidence at the moment?
“Consider what God has done: Who can straighten what he has made crooked?” Ecclesiastes 7:13
God brought some “crooked” events into my life, and . . . only He can straighten them. Can I trust Him even if I don’t understand? I am someone who knows the distress, despair, and darkness that fills my soul when I wonder if God truly cares about my plight.
In fact, it often seems more difficult to TRUST God than to OBEY Him. Trust requires coping with the unknown.
“No detail of your life is too insignificant for your heavenly Father’s attention; no circumstance is so big that He cannot control it…. Are we truly left to the mercy of stalled cars, of trucks that break down, of people who are in a position to do us harm and are intent on doing it? NO, a thousand times no! We are in the hands of a sovereign God who controls every circumstance of our lives and who rejoices in doing us good.” Trusting God, by Jerry Bridges
“Jesus said, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of Your Father . . . So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”” Matthew 10:29,31
Well that sounds very much like God cares about the very minute details and events of my life.
Yet how often, when one of the big things, or even the small things, happens to me – do I think that God must have been looking the other way. God could not possibly be sovereign over those things. Apparently in my mind, a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without it being God’s will… but the death of a loved one, or even the air conditioning going out… those are somehow excluded, or not a part of His sovereignty? Really? What changed? Did God change? Does He pick and choose?
“If there is a single event in all of the universe that can occur OUTSIDE of God’s sovereign control, then we cannot trust Him.”
Trusting God, by Jerry Bridges
Whoa. Well I guess that puts a fine point to that question.
Just like faith – either I have faith or I don’t. It’s not a little or a lot. It either IS or ISN’T.
The same is true for God’s Sovereignty. Either He is Sovereign in ALL things or He is Sovereign in NO things.
“Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish.” Isaiah 38:17
God – Who has all Sovereignty – has ALL Power and Perfect Love.
- God is completely sovereign.
- God is infinite in wisdom.
- God is perfect in love.
- To wit: My All-Powerful God is bringing about ALL His attributes for my good and His Glory.
God’s plan and His ways of working out His plan are frequently beyond my ability to fathom and understand. I must learn to trust when I don’t understand.
Remember, I am a puzzle-person, so I tend to try to “figure out God”. But God’s ways are not my ways. His ways are so much higher than mine. It’s kinda like if I can figure out what He’s doing – then it’s from Him. But if I can’t, then it couldn’t possibly be from God. With that kind of thinking, I have just raised my SELF up to “be God”. I have just taken God OFF the throne and put myself ON it, assuming that “I” know what’s best. I am trying to identify the INFINITE with the FINITE. And that simply cannot be done.
This is where actual FAITH & TRUST come into play… at those moments that seem all wrong. I pray to be delivered from evil – and so from my finite perspective, it gets oh so confusing. I may even doubt God's love for me. AND just as importantly, I question His sovereignty.
In fact, for my benefit, I should stop trying to figure it all out…instead, I must simply trust. And the word “simply” does not mean it’s simple to do so. It means I must drop every other pretense and thought process, let go of everything else, and TRUST.
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18
So back to my questions: Can I “trust” God? Is He dependable? Can “I” trust God? Is my relationship with Him dependable and confident – even though I may not see evidence at the moment?
The answer is a solid YES!
In fact, it's an imperative for living a life of peace. God has given us His Word and His Spirit: everything we need to be reminded that He really is Sovereign and He really is doing these things for our benefit. So. . .
Deo Volente!
Whatever God wills for my life!
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© 2026: Connie F. Dunmyer, All Rights Reserved.