I’ve written and talked often about all that God accomplishes through our trials. My standard phrase is, “God does His best and most permanent work through our trials.” I believe that intellectually, and lately I also believe it on a real, personal level.
I live IN the greatest trial of my life and I AM amazed at all that God is teaching me through this – and how He is deepening my faith and making Himself more and more real to me. It’s that balance between sorrow and joy that I also talk about a lot.
So, this post isn’t primarily about those truths, although there is much “meat” to digest there, if one so chooses. But I want to share a slightly different twist that God has laid on my heart over the past few days. It’s likely not earth-shattering for anyone, but it was enough of a different perspective to warrant its own post.
I recently read a wonderful statement in one of my devotions by Timothy Keller, “Making Sense of God,” and it was powerful enough to post on FaceBook!
This is the statement: “We were not created for love relationships that end in death.” Timothy Keller
This tells us that God’s original plan for us did NOT include sin and heartbreak and death. We were created for perfect fellowship with Him.
But sin DID enter the world when Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden. And the human race has struggled with that ever since. And we will until the day we die.
Does this mean that God was surprised by the actions of Adam and Eve, after being tempted by Satan? Not at all. God, in His sovereignty, is all-powerful and all-knowing. The Bible tells us that not a hair falls from our heads that He isn’t aware of. (Luke 12:7)
I don’t claim to have the words that will make this paradox crystal clear, but it’s true that, while God intended for us to live in perfect harmony with Him, He ALSO had a plan in place to send Jesus as the One who would pay the price for OUR sins on the cross and ultimately purchase our redemption.
Both are true. Just trust that, but when it’s hard to understand? Claim Deuteronomy 29:29: “The secret things belong to the Lord.” That’s where I hang my hat when I can’t quite grasp a spiritual reality!
So we have these two seemingly opposing truths from the Bible.
- God’s original plan was for mankind to live in sinless harmony with Him.
- God has always had a plan to deal with sin in this world.
One of the lessons in the story of Joseph is best illustrated by what Joseph told his brothers, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good” Genesis 5:20. The same concept is displayed in the well-known text from Romans 8:28: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.”
The message here ISN’T that all the bad that happens to us is really good. It’s that God USES it all for good…eventually.
I’ve bought into that concept for years and have seen it played out again and again in individual situations in my life and the lives of others.
But what I was missing is how this is true on a large, CORPORATE scale. At a macro level, if you will. Let me explain that crazy statement.
God takes the sin that ultimately leads to heartache and trials and death and USES the totality of all those difficulties to work good in His children’s lives. And not JUST on an individual trial level. The overall problem of sin in its totality is now used by Almighty God for ultimate good.
It’s like he’s saying to Satan, “You intended to harm my children, but I intended it for good.” Of course He did! How could He not? He is our good, good Father.
In the midst of whatever battle you find yourself, remember that God is working good in your life and that ultimately, He wins!
…in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
Romans 8:37
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