Difficulties

     When heartache comes and trials rear their ugly heads, it is easy to wonder how God could possibly be in the middle of all that you are feeling, but He is. God is not the God of evil, but when trouble comes, He masterfully takes it and shapes it into an instrument of eternal purpose.

     You may wonder how God could possibly be a part of your teenager's rebellion, or your husband's or wife's unfaithfulness. God cannot and will not involve Himself with sin. He created each of us with a free will. His ultimate desire is that we would follow Him in obedience, thereby positioning ourselves for the outpouring of His blessings. Unfortunately, many people seek their own way apart from God. The prophet Isaiah wrote: "All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way . . ." (53:6). When a person sins against God, he or she must also bear the consequences.

     However, there is another agent at work in the spiritual realm, and that is the fact that we live in a fallen world. Adam and Eve enjoyed enormous bliss in the Garden of Eden until they submitted to Satan's temptation. Sin shattered God's sanctuary of peace and security. However, the stain was not eternal. We can know and experience the matchless joy that comes from fellowshipping with His Son and our Savior—the Lord Jesus Christ.

     You may think that God is not aware of the trials you are facing, but He is. He is sovereign and in control of all things. In the book Trusting God Even When Life Hurts, Jerry Bridges writes:

     "One of our problems with the sovereignty of God is that it frequently does not appear that God is in control of the circumstances of our lives. We see unjust or uncaring or even clearly wicked people doing things that adversely affect us. . . . We even do foolish and sinful things ourselves and suffer the bitter fruit of our actions. It is difficult to see God working through secondary causes and frail, sinful human beings. But it is God's ability to so arrange diverse human actions to fufill His purpose that makes His sovereignty marvelous and yet mysterious. . . .

     "The question naturally arises, however, 'Does God always orchestrate the events of my life for my good?' . . . According to Romans 8:28, the answer is a solid yes.

     "The verse says, 'We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose'. It is this assurance that . . . gives sense to Paul's exhortation elsewhere to 'give thanks in all circumstances' (1 Thessalonians 5:18). How could we possibly give thanks to God for all the circumstances of our lives if He were not at work in them for our good?"