Providence of God

I'm reading a book put out by Ira North's wife in the mid 90s “Marching to Zion.” It is some of North's sermons. One of the chapters/sermons is "Look for the Providence of God." How do we differentiate the Providence of God from karma, good luck, bad luck, no luck at all? North mentions God sending problems to give us time to spiritually grow. Sometimes he blocks us from getting too far ahead and getting into trouble. At end of his sermon he thanks God for the mountains to stop us, for the mountains to strengthen us, for the mountains to humble us, for the mountains to mature us. He then thanks God for the mountain of debt in paying for their auditorium, for it has helped us to be liberal and taught us to depend on You. Thank You for the mountains and problems that we face in our child care program. It has taught us to love the humble and lowly. Thank You for the mountains you have given us in this television and radio ministry. He gives several more examples but my question is how do we recognize the providence of God or are we like Charlie Brown when he shot an arrow and drew a circle around it. Lucy asked him why he did that and he said “this way I never miss.” Are we drawing a circle around an event and calling it “the providence of God?” Is there such a thing “providence of God” or do we get it from our denominational friends?

Aren't we claiming we recognize the providence of God when we claim something is God's will?

Last night on the television they had a story about that boy who was killed in a sledding accident on Sunday came on. They showed his mother and I thought of Ira North's comments. To a grieving mother his sermon comes across as simplistic, naive, and empty. Or do we claim only the good things, the things that work out the way we want them to work out as "God's Providence?"

We need to have bible support for what we believe or we are no different than the Pope claiming to be God's vicar on earth or the Muslim claiming to be a prophet. I find it easier to believe in miracles or in God's direct interaction with us than in what we call "the providence of God."

According to Ira North we should be thanking God for the debt of the building and for the increased utility bills and the leaks and the muddy parking lot after all they are God's mountains to teach us something.

What is the providence of God and how does that compare with our just trying to keep our heads above the water?