Written by Pastor Jack Wellman– Warren Wiersbe
Even the Bad Is for Our Good
Nothing comes through the Father’s hands that is not sovereignly allowed by Him. Yes, many of our problems are self-inflicted, but God will use even those for His good purpose and will (Rom 8:28). Romans 8:28 doesn’t say that all things work together for our good unless they are a result of our own poor choices, other people, or our own sins. There are no qualifiers to Romans 8:28, and “everything” means everything that happens as a result of our choices, as a result of others doing evil things to us, or as innocent bystanders or not (given none are really innocent). Even those we have hurt in the family of God by what I call “friendly fire” will be used for their good as well as for ours. Everything that happens can be used for our good unless we see only the problems themselves, and if the problems are not connected to our ultimate benefit, then we’ll see defeat instead of victory.
What Is Meant for Evil Brings Good
In one of the greatest Bible verses there are, we see that what Joseph’s brothers did to him resulted in good, in fact much good but much later. Genesis 50:20 says, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” Many people were kept alive because Joseph was despised by his brothers. Much good came from them selling him into slavery, much good came from him being falsely accused and being cast into prison, much good came out of his being forgotten in prison for many years, and much good finally came when God showed him the meaning of Pharaoh’s dream, which allowed him to establish reserve foods, enough to sustain Egypt and the civilized world when seven years of drought came. The evil that Joseph’s brothers did to him eventually saved their lives, the lives of Joseph’s family, the life of his father, Jacob, and millions of lives in Egypt and in the regions around that nation. If Joseph had dwelt on only the problems, then what good would that have done him or the millions of others?
Okay God, Now What?
Let me put it this way. If you are put in a humanly impossible situation and you have no other options, instead of seeing only the problem, say this to God: “Okay, God, I can’t wait to see what you’re going to do now because I can’t do anything more. I am eager to see how you’ll make your name famous by turning this impossible situation into something that glorifies your name.” God loves to respond in miraculous ways when our backs are against the wall and we see only defeat. God frequently snatches victory out of defeat, and that is how He is glorified.
Problems as Possibilities
Don’t let problems be all you see, but see them as a possibility for God to be glorified in helping you escape because if you see only the problems, you’ll already be defeated. Instead, try and see the possibilities in the problems that can bring ultimate victory.
Conclusion
I remember one man say that you can make disappointments, His appointments. I like that. Make troubles a comma and not a period. There’s more to come because there are all sorts of possibilities that our problems can bring us. Only believers can live like that!.
