--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There’s an irresolvable tension that…" description: "\"“There’s an irresolvable tension that exists between God’s sovereignty and man’s free will. He never forces man to act or prevents him from acting. God..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a11/paula-wiseman-95770_quote_there-s-an-irresolvable-tension-that-exi_2092567.jpg" --- # There’s an irresolvable tension that exists between God’s… ![“There’s an irresolvable tension that exists between God’s sovereignty and man’s free will. He never forces man to act or prevents him from acting. God is never caught off guard by our choices, and His purposes are always fulfilled in spite of our interference.” quote by Paula Wiseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a11/paula-wiseman-95770_quote_there-s-an-irresolvable-tension-that-exi_2092567.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a11/paula-wiseman-95770_quote_there-s-an-irresolvable-tension-that-exi_2092567.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a11/paula-wiseman-95770_quote_there-s-an-irresolvable-tension-that-exi_2092567.jpg) > ““There’s an irresolvable tension that exists between God’s sovereignty and man’s free will. He never forces man to act or prevents him from acting. God is never caught off guard by our choices, and His purposes are always fulfilled in spite of our interference.”” Paula Wiseman ## 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 and human free will coexist; divine plans unfold regardless of human actions. **In simple terms:** Divine purpose persists despite human choices. Key Takeaway Trust that higher purpose works beyond control. Themes theology free will divine plan Mood philosophical thoughtful Type sovereignty:1 god sovereignty:1 exists god:0 acting god:0 sovereignty man:0 When to use this quote - ethical debates - personal faith discussions Key Concepts philosophy determinism Questions to Reflect On - How do you reconcile personal responsibility with divine will? - Does belief in sovereignty affect moral choices? A Different Perspective Balancing divine control with free will is complex. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Sovereignty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sovereignty/) ## Related quotes > [“The main difficulty encountered is to define the relationship between God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility. Many have summarily disposed of the difficulty by denying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-w-pink/the-main-difficulty-encountered-is-to-define-the-relationship-between/) [Arthur W. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-w-pink/) > [From a political point of view, there is but one principle, the sovereignty of man over himself. This sovereignty of myself over myself is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/from-a-political-point-of-view-there-is-but-one-principle-the/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Most Christians salute the sovereignty of God but believe in the sovereignty of man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/most-christians-salute-the-sovereignty-of-god-but-believe-in-the/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [“Bad things happen to everyone. No one by their behavior can store up any immunity from disaster or tragedy. All any of us can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-cantore/bad-things-happen-to-everyone-no-one-by-their-behavior-can-store-up/) [Janice Cantore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-cantore/) > [Evil by its very nature opposes the purposes of God, but God, in his sovereignty, can make even this evil serve his purposes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-f-wells/evil-by-its-very-nature-opposes-the-purposes-of-god-but-god-in-his/) [David F. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-f-wells/) > [So though there are many things I would have done differently, I submit to God's sovereignty and His purpose in my life and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-d-jakes/so-though-there-are-many-things-i-would-have-done-differently-i/) [T. D. Jakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-d-jakes/) > [Take a firm grasp on God’s sovereignty and trust His love even when you don’t understand His purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/take-a-firm-grasp-on-god-s-sovereignty-and-trust-his-love-even-when/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [God's sovereignty is not in His right hand; God's sovereignty is not in His intellect; God's sovereignty is in His love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/god-s-sovereignty-is-not-in-his-right-hand-god-s-sovereignty-is-not/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [We will not let you choose between being a lover of God and his sovereignty and being a lover of lost people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/we-will-not-let-you-choose-between-being-a-lover-of-god-and-his/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [Human fallibility recognised, God's sovereignty trusted; these are also the only stable foundations for human beings in society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-welby/human-fallibility-recognised-god-s-sovereignty-trusted-these-are-also/) [Justin Welby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-welby/) > [The storms in my life have become workshops where I can practice my faith in God's sovereignty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-briscoe/the-storms-in-my-life-have-become-workshops-where-i-can-practice-my/) [Jill Briscoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-briscoe/) > [Men treat God's sovereignty as a theme for controversy, but in Scripture it is matter for worship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/men-treat-god-s-sovereignty-as-a-theme-for-controversy-but-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is no broader way to apostasy than to reject God’s sovereignty in all things concerning the revelation of himself and our obedience...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-owen/there-is-no-broader-way-to-apostasy-than-to-reject-god-s-sovereignty/) [John Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-owen/) > [A high view of God’s sovereignty fuels death-defying devotion to global missions. Maybe another way to put it, people, and more specifically pastors, who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/a-high-view-of-god-s-sovereignty-fuels-death-defying-devotion-to/) [David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/) > [Of all the doctrines of the Bible none is so offensive to human nature as the doctrine of God's sovereignty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle/of-all-the-doctrines-of-the-bible-none-is-so-offensive-to-human/) [J. C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle/) ## More by Paula Wiseman > [“You know, the Bible says God never puts more on you than you can bear, right? You are carrying as much as you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-wiseman/you-know-the-bible-says-god-never-puts-more-on-you-than-you-can-bear/) Paula Wiseman Explore all 2 Paula Wiseman quotes ## More Sovereignty quotes > [Nations sometimes flourish by denying the crimes that brought them into being. Only when the original invasion, occupation, extermination or usurpation has been safely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-eagleton/nations-sometimes-flourish-by-denying-the-crimes-that-brought-them/) [Terry Eagleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-eagleton/) > [ \[Brazil\] went to the UN and said, "We need new standards for this." We need to take a look at what they're calling "data… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/brazil-went-to-the-un-and-said-we-need-new-standards-for-this-we-need/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [When Estonia reestablished its sovereignty after a half century of successive thuggish, totalitarian, foreign occupations by the Soviets, the Nazis, and then again the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toomas-hendrik-ilves/when-estonia-reestablished-its-sovereignty-after-a-half-century-of/) [Toomas Hendrik Ilves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toomas-hendrik-ilves/) > [Jordan recognizes that east Jerusalem is the capital of the Palestinian state and Jordan rejects foreign sovereignty -- Israeli sovereignty -- over the holy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasser-arafat/jordan-recognizes-that-east-jerusalem-is-the-capital-of-the/) [Yasser Arafat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasser-arafat/) > [It will be of little avail to the people, that the laws are made by men of their own choice, if the laws be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/it-will-be-of-little-avail-to-the-people-that-the-laws-are-made-by/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [As the highest ranking American official in the United Nations organization, I came to understand thoroughly that the national constitutional processes of the member…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-thornburgh/as-the-highest-ranking-american-official-in-the-united-nations/) [Dick Thornburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-thornburgh/) > [As far as the sovereignty of Bosnia-Hercegovina is concerned we agreed to have limited sovereignty for a limited time and that is clear from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alija-izetbegovic/as-far-as-the-sovereignty-of-bosnia-hercegovina-is-concerned-we/) [Alija Izetbegovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alija-izetbegovic/) > [Money power cannot be separated from democratic power without miscarriage and ensuing frustration - political and economic. Democracy implies the sovereignty of man; and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-c-riegel/money-power-cannot-be-separated-from-democratic-power-without/) [E.C. Riegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-c-riegel/) > [The idea of dual sovereignty rests on the premise that the power of the states to prosecute crimes existed before the creation of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asha-rangappa/the-idea-of-dual-sovereignty-rests-on-the-premise-that-the-power-of/) [Asha Rangappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asha-rangappa/) > [The States acceded to the Union.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/the-states-acceded-to-the-union/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [The sovereignty of America has just been eroded in plain daylight by Clinton and the Congress, who take an oath to the Constitution. Those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-brown/the-sovereignty-of-america-has-just-been-eroded-in-plain-daylight-by/) [Jerry Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-brown/) > [The sovereignty of scriptures of all religions must come to an end if we want to have a united integrated modern India.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-r-ambedkar/the-sovereignty-of-scriptures-of-all-religions-must-come-to-an-end-if/) [B. R. Ambedkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-r-ambedkar/) > [If the court case I brought against the government over article 50 was about anything at all, it was about parliamentary sovereignty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-miller/if-the-court-case-i-brought-against-the-government-over-article-50/) [Gina Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-miller/) > [For the state by its nature claims sovereignty, the right to an unlimited development of power, determined only by self-interest. It is by nature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-lous-lange/for-the-state-by-its-nature-claims-sovereignty-the-right-to-an/) [Christian Lous Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-lous-lange/) > [What we do every time we pray is to confess our impotence and God's sovereignty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-we-do-every-time-we-pray-is-to-confess-our-impotence-and-god-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 671 Sovereignty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sovereignty/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“There’s an irresolvable tension that exists between God’s sovereignty and man’s free will. He never forces man to act or prevents him from acting. 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