The stories of the trials flooded in, and I couldn’t help but wonder about God’s purpose for them.
A young man who struggled with epilepsy and other physical issues his entire life died in his sleep while having an epileptic episode. His mother found him the next morning after he didn’t show up for breakfast. Her life was changed forever.
Another young man died in his sleep after having an asthmatic attack. His happened to be drug-induced—a struggle he battled. His family struggled to understand what happened and how such a wonderful young man could be gone forever.
A young mother and wife served as a counselor at a youth rally. But something happened. Later, she called herself by another name, wanted a divorce, and exhibited all types of strange behavior. Her family was devastated.
As I listened to these and other stories, I usually heard another statement: “God has a purpose for everything.” A statement that can bring comfort and help them work through their time of grief and confusion. But also a statement that turns some away from God. Why would a good God allow such terrible things to happen, they think.
If everything God’s plans will come to pass as he decrees—if He does whatever He wishes—then how can we ever hope to understand? And what part, if any, do we play in his grand scheme of things?
Without a doubt, the Bible reveals God’s decrees—his purposes. The Bible also shows that God has a perfect and a permissive will. He decreed the world into existence and populated it with humans, animals, plants, and marine life. Within his decree for a perfect world where people would worship him lived the permissibility of evil. He didn’t create evil but rather the possibility of it. Lucifer—along with many angels who chose to follow him—sided with the evil and influenced humanity to follow their course.
God permits because he has given us free will. With it, we can choose to serve him or cast him aside. Even when things happen within his permissive will—the bad things we hear about daily—he can and will work good from them. He’s a good God, and all his purposes match his character.
Regardless of what circumstances you confront, believe God will bring good from it.
Father, I thank you for your matchless power that can take evil and bring good from it. I trust you to work out your purposes for my life.
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