Howard Sugden, when I was in college, preached many memorable sermons.
After all these years, the one titled “But God . . .” still makes me stop
whenever I come to those words in the Bible. Here are a few examples of verses
that encourage me with the reminder of God’s righteous intervention in human
affairs:
“You meant evil against me; but God meant it for
good, in order to . . . save many people alive” (Gen. 50:20).
“Their beauty shall be consumed in the grave . . . . But God will redeem my
soul from the power of the grave” (Ps. 49:14-15).
“My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength
of my heart and my portion forever” (Ps. 73:26).
“For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good
man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates
His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for
us” (Rom. 5:7-8).
“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard . . . the things which God has prepared
for those who love Him. But God has revealed
them to us through His Spirit” (1 Cor. 2:9-10).
Whenever you feel discouraged, look up some “but God” verses and be
reassured of God’s involvement in the lives of those who love Him.