How God Works

It is likely that there will come a time in our lives when we will question why certain adverse things have happened to us. This occurs even to the most devout among us. We may or may not ever receive an answer for some dreadful trial that comes our way. However, God may very well remind us “…in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). But what is His purpose in this? Paul tells us in the next verse, “…to be conformed to the likeness of his Son” (8:29).
 
Peter writes about the likelihood of going through seasons of adversity for the sake of God’s purpose when he says, “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed” (1 Peter 1:6-7).
 
As difficult as it may be to embrace, the truth remains: God uses the smelting fires of adversity to burn away the dross of moral impurity. His aim is to leave in us the gold of spiritual conformity to the likeness of Christ.
 
It may be our natural tendency is to retreat from adversity. Nevertheless, God has chosen to use our problems to bring about His purposes. If we comprehend this, it helps us know better how to respond to those things that confront us. We can then ask ourselves questions such as:
 
*What is God teaching me in this?
*How is God changing me through this?
*How will I benefit from this?
 
In our lives, the real enemy is not adversity, but our sinful tendency. Moreover, that proclivity is everything within us which stubbornly resists God’s purpose to be more like Christ. Yet, this should be our focus when problems pounce upon us.
 
There is an old story I like—A young girl was sent to a neighbor’s house along a mountain countryside to bring home two geese that had been purchased. She had to drive them through a dark wooded area in the evening twilight. She did not fear the shadows, but along the way was a fierce dog in front of a house. As she walked along nervously, she heard the rattle of leaves and suddenly a wildcat sprang out to attack her. Just before he pounced upon her, the fierce dog rushed to the girl’s defense, and seized the wildcat by the throat with his sharp teeth and killed the wildcat.
 
What the little girl dreaded was what she needed. We dread the dogs of adversity more than the wildcats of our own sinfulness. However, these dogs with sharp teeth serve us as they destroy the things about us that would destroy us.
 
May we learn this lesson well so that we are prepared when the tests of life come our way.
 
Devotedly yours,
 Pastor Ron