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The Sovereignty And Goodness Of God Analysis

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The Sovereignty and Goodness of God, written by Mary Rowlandson, describes the ghastly events that Christians experienced in the seventeenth century. This narrative operates as the authors' own testimony to Christianity, as she explains how God's predetermined path for her led her to experience change in her mental, physical, and emotional well-being. Rowlandson describes the horror of her captivity in her autobiography; from her family and friends being slaughtered right before her eyes, to her being snatched from her home and held hostage by inhospitable Native Americans. This chaos and uneasiness led Rowlandson to reassess her perception of civilization, which in return, pushed her to have a more profound relationship with God, as well as …show more content…
As a Puritan, Rowlandson believes that everything happens for a reason - every event that occurs is subject to God's predetermined path for "the believer". This belief significantly increases throughout the author's captivity, and she constantly refers to the Bible for reassurance of her life's current state. The author includes the sentence, "Still the Lord upheld me with his gracious and mercifull Spirit, and we were both alive to see the light of the next morning" (Rowlandson 223), which quite clearly shows her belief in God having a predetermined path for her. Rowlandson believes that God is putting her through this catastrophic captivity for a reason. Although her experience in captivity is anything but gracious, she draws back to the Word and further convinces the readers that God is the sole purpose that she is able to remain stable throughout her journey. Within the Bible, Rowlandson is able to find the good in almost any situation. She draws parallels between herself and God's disciples to keep herself sane throughout the torment caused by the Native Americans. These parallels are shown through bible verses, always relating back to her experience; this shows God's word is able to get her through the devastating events of her captivity. In the thirteenth remove, Rowlandson writes, "I was turning the leaves of my Bible, and the Lord brought to me some Scriptures, which did a little revive me, … Psalms 37.6, 'Commit thy way unto the Lord, trust also in him, and he shal bring it to pass'" (Rowlandson 235), which is a prime example of how the author compares her problems to the solutions she is able to find within the Bible. Whether these solutions are statements proclaiming her dedication to her faith, or other instances that occur in the biblical times that are similar to the ones she experiences in her captivity, she is always

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