--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: From our limited vantage point, our lives…" description: "\"From our limited vantage point, our lives are marked by an endless series of contingencies. We frequently find ourselves, instead of acting as we plan..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de5/jerry-bridges-1451_acting_from-our-limited-vantage-point-our-lives_3229603.png" --- # From our limited vantage point, our lives are marked by an… ![“From our limited vantage point, our lives are marked by an endless series of contingencies. We frequently find ourselves, instead of acting as we planned, reacting to an unexpected turn of events. We make plans but are often forced to change those plans. But there are no contingencies with God…” quote by Jerry Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de5/jerry-bridges-1451_acting_from-our-limited-vantage-point-our-lives_3229603.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de5/jerry-bridges-1451_acting_from-our-limited-vantage-point-our-lives_3229603.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de5/jerry-bridges-1451_acting_from-our-limited-vantage-point-our-lives_3229603.png) > “From our limited vantage point, our lives are marked by an endless series of contingencies. We frequently find ourselves, instead of acting as we planned, reacting to an unexpected turn of events. We make plans but are often forced to change those plans. But there are no contingencies with God. Our unexpected, forced change of plans is a part of His plan. God is never surprised; never caught off guard; never frustrated by unexpected developments. God does as He pleases and that which pleases Him is always for His glory and our good.” [Jerry Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-bridges/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. God’s sovereignty means unexpected events are part of His divine plan; He remains untroubled, using all circumstances for glory and our benefit. **In simple terms:** God controls outcomes, turning surprises into purposeful blessings. Key Takeaway Trust that unforeseen changes serve a higher purpose. Themes faith divine providence trust Mood reverent hopeful Type scriptural inspirational When to use this quote - personal crises - career setbacks - health challenges - family issues Key Concepts theology spiritual resilience purpose Questions to Reflect On - How do you respond to unexpected change? - What evidence of God’s guidance have you seen? 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Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-w-ellis/) > [“We all have to deal with unexpected tragedies and trauma. Being a believer doesn’t exempt you from life’s turbulent times. The Scripture says rain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/we-all-have-to-deal-with-unexpected-tragedies-and-trauma-being-a/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [“It pleased him to imagine God as someone like his mother, someone beleagured by too many responsibilities, too dog-tired to monitor an energetic boy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/it-pleased-him-to-imagine-god-as-someone-like-his-mother-someone/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [“If there is a single event in all the universe that can occur outside of God’s sovereign control, then we cannot trust Him. God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-lautsbaugh/if-there-is-a-single-event-in-all-the-universe-that-can-occur-outside/) [Chris Lautsbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-lautsbaugh/) > [Remember God is not surprised by your inabilities, your imperfections, or your faults. He has always known everything about you that you are just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/remember-god-is-not-surprised-by-your-inabilities-your-imperfections/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [i am like a survivor of the flood walking through the streets drenched with God surprised that all of the drowned victims are still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-williams/i-am-like-a-survivor-of-the-flood-walking-through-the-streets/) [Saul Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-williams/) > [A Girl died n went to heaven. . God was surprised to see her heart was still beating. . God asked her, how come.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-girl-died-n-went-to-heaven-god-was-surprised-to-see-her-heart-was/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Outward objects cannot take hold of the soul, nor force their passage into her, nor set any of her wheels going. No, the impression…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/outward-objects-cannot-take-hold-of-the-soul-nor-force-their-passage/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [O to be self-balanced for contingencies, to confront night, storms, hunger, ridicule, accidents, rebuffs, as the trees and animals do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/o-to-be-self-balanced-for-contingencies-to-confront-night-storms/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [“assessing risk factors and allowing for contingencies. But how often do they?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-odell/assessing-risk-factors-and-allowing-for-contingencies-but-how-often/) [Robin Odell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-odell/) > [When actions are followed by events that are not causally related to the prior acts, people often erroneously perceive contingencies that do not, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-bandura/when-actions-are-followed-by-events-that-are-not-causally-related-to/) [Albert Bandura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-bandura/) > [People think of politicians having true power, but that's less and less true. After all, they are often constrained or being edged into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-arnault/people-think-of-politicians-having-true-power-but-that-s-less-and/) [Bernard Arnault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-arnault/) > [“To protect your interests in your transactions when making an offer you’ll often use at least one—and maybe several—contingencies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-protect-your-interests-in-your-transactions-when-making-an-offer/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We plan for all contingencies, and we'll be ready for it, for any contingencies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-austin/we-plan-for-all-contingencies-and-we-ll-be-ready-for-it-for-any/) [Lloyd Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-austin/) > [And so, in case we have contingencies and things that we cannot accomplish within the duration of the space walk, we have a buffer,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-guidoni/and-so-in-case-we-have-contingencies-and-things-that-we-cannot/) [Umberto Guidoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-guidoni/) ## More by Jerry Bridges > [We must allow the Bible to say what is says, not what we think it ought to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-bridges/we-must-allow-the-bible-to-say-what-is-says-not-what-we-think-it/) [Jerry Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-bridges/) > [“Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 PETER 3:18)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-bridges/grow-in-the-grace-and-knowledge-of-our-lord-and-savior-jesus-christ-2/) [Jerry Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-bridges/) > [It is not the fact that we are united in common goals or purposes that makes us a community. Rather, it is the fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-bridges/it-is-not-the-fact-that-we-are-united-in-common-goals-or-purposes/) [Jerry Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-bridges/) > [A son or daughter in any human family is either born to or adopted by the parents. By definition, a child can't be both.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-bridges/a-son-or-daughter-in-any-human-family-is-either-born-to-or-adopted-by/) [Jerry Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-bridges/) > [“We must be careful to let the Holy Spirit do this searching. If we try to search our own hearts, we are apt to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-bridges/we-must-be-careful-to-let-the-holy-spirit-do-this-searching-if-we-try/) [Jerry Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-bridges/) > [“Though the power for godly character comes from Christ, the responsibility for developing and displaying that character is ours.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-bridges/though-the-power-for-godly-character-comes-from-christ-the/) [Jerry Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-bridges/) > [God's Word must be so strongly fixed in our minds that it becomes the dominant influence in our thoughts, our attitudes, and our actions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-bridges/god-s-word-must-be-so-strongly-fixed-in-our-minds-that-it-becomes-the/) [Jerry Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-bridges/) > [The cure for impatience with the fulfillment of God's timetable is to believe His promises, obey His will, and leave the results to Him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-bridges/the-cure-for-impatience-with-the-fulfillment-of-god-s-timetable-is-to/) [Jerry Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-bridges/) > [In a sermon entitled “God's Providence,” C. H. Spurgeon said, “Napoleon once heard it said, that man proposes and God disposes. 'Ah,' said Napoleon,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-bridges/in-a-sermon-entitled-god-s-providence-c-h-spurgeon-said-napoleon-once/) [Jerry Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-bridges/) > [Patience is the ability to suffer a long time under the mistreatment of others without growing resentful or bitter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-bridges/patience-is-the-ability-to-suffer-a-long-time-under-the-mistreatment/) [Jerry Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-bridges/) > [Jesus said, "Any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple" (Luke 14:33). We must honestly face the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-bridges/jesus-said-any-of-you-who-does-not-give-up-everything-he-has-cannot/) [Jerry Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-bridges/) > [We ought to be as earnest and frequent in our prayers of thanksgiving when the cupboard is full as we would be in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-bridges/we-ought-to-be-as-earnest-and-frequent-in-our-prayers-of-thanksgiving/) [Jerry Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-bridges/) > [... self-control is not control by oneself through one's own willpower but rather control of oneself through the power of the Holy Spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-bridges/self-control-is-not-control-by-oneself-through-one-s-own-willpower/) [Jerry Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-bridges/) > [The fruit of patience in all its aspects - long-suffering, forbearance, endurance, and perseverance - is a fruit that is most intimately associated with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-bridges/the-fruit-of-patience-in-all-its-aspects-long-suffering-forbearance/) [Jerry Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-bridges/) > [Bitterness arises in our hearts when we do not trust in the sovereign rule of God in our lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-bridges/bitterness-arises-in-our-hearts-when-we-do-not-trust-in-the-sovereign/) [Jerry Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-bridges/) [Explore all 234 Jerry Bridges quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-bridges/) ## More Acting quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [Acting is a grind, just like music is a grind. Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. 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