A Sweet and Bitter Providence Quotes

“Life is not a straight line leading from one blessing to the next and then finally to heaven. Life is a winding and troubled road. Switchback after switchback. And the point of biblical stories like Joseph and Job and Esther and Ruth is to help us feel in our bones (not just know in our heads) that God is for us in all these strange turns. God is not just showing up after the trouble and cleaning it up. He is plotting the course and managing the troubles with far-reaching purposes for our good and for the glory of Jesus Christ.”
― John Piper, A Sweet and Bitter Providence: Sex, Race, and the Sovereignty of God

“There is hope in forgiveness”
― John Piper, A Sweet and Bitter Providence: Sex, Race, and the Sovereignty of God

“God is not an employer looking for employees. He is an Eagle looking for people who will take refuge under his wings. He is looking for people who will leave father and mother and homeland or anything else that may hold them back from a life of love under the wings of Jesus.”
― John Piper, A Sweet and Bitter Providence: Sex, Race, and the Sovereignty of God

“Taken as a whole, the story of Ruth is one of those signs. It was written to give us encouragement and hope that all the perplexing turns in our lives are going somewhere good. They do not lead off a cliff. In all the setbacks of our lives as believers, God is plotting for our joy.”
― John Piper, A Sweet and Bitter Providence: Sex, Race, and the Sovereignty of God

“It has to do with seeing God. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8).”
― John Piper, A Sweet and Bitter Providence: Sex, Race, and the Sovereignty of God

“We are more than a collection of appetites - we are of God.”
― John Piper, A Sweet and Bitter Providence: Sex, Race, and the Sovereignty of God

“The Lord is kind. He is good to all who take refuge under his wings.”
― John Piper, A Sweet and Bitter Providence: Sex, Race, and the Sovereignty of God

“Our lives become trivial. And our capacity for magnificent causes and great worship dies.”
― John Piper, A Sweet and Bitter Providence: Sex, Race, and the Sovereignty of God

“We will wait. We will wait till all is made righteous (glorious) according to the word of God.”
― John Piper, A Sweet and Bitter Providence: Sex, Race, and the Sovereignty of God

“At one level, the message of the book of Ruth is that the life of the godly is not a straight line to glory, but they do get there.”
― John Piper, A Sweet and Bitter Providence: Sex, Race, and the Sovereignty of God

“God is willing and able to turn his judgements into joys . . . Don't ever think that the sin of your past means there is no hope for your future.”
― John Piper, A Sweet and Bitter Providence: Sex, Race, and the Sovereignty of God

“But we also need stories. Great stories.”
― John Piper, A Sweet and Bitter Providence: Sex, Race, and the Sovereignty of God

“. . . the story of Ruth . . .was written to give us encouragement and hope that all the perplexing turns in our lives are going somewhere good. They do not lead off a cliff. In all the setbacks of our lives as believers, God is plotting for our joy.”
― John Piper, A Sweet and Bitter Providence: Sex, Race, and the Sovereignty of God