As believers, things may befall us which are not at all good for us in any way, shape, or form.
Worse, perhaps, we may not understand why any of these things befell us. After all, not every saint can look back on a trial as Joseph did and declare, “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.” Not every saint knows the reason why God allowed or purposed something to befall them. We don’t always know why God ordained something to befall us. But, even if we don’t know the reason why something happened to us in this life, and even if it seems like it was all for absolutely nothing, nevertheless, God promises there will be good for his people in the end.
And, although he is under no obligation to do so, God can and does cause good to come out of bad. But the highest good for believers is to become more like Christ. That is, God causes all things to work together for good for those who love God and are called according to his purpose, yes; but oftentimes we think of the “good” as something material or something tangible, when the highest and best goods for the child of God are to be more like Christ, to be more holy, to lean on the Lord more, to trust him more, to know him more, to grow in love for him more, to love others more, to pray more, to cling to the word of God more, to love the lost more, etc. These are our true treasures.
We may have lost everything — friends, family, other loved ones, property, possessions, and everything else. But what have we gained? We have our names written in heaven. We have a closer, more intimate walk with the Lord than we could ever have imagined possible. His precious promises in Scripture are so real and living, tried and proven true. His felt presence is ever with us, comforting us and guiding us. We are more sensitive to the afflictions and griefs of others. We are able to more simply lean upon the Lord, as a weaned child upon his mother’s breast. We are drawn so near and dear to the brethren, who likewise share in suffering. Timidity and fear are driven out, and we are more bold in our witness for Christ, since we realize nothing ultimately matters except the Lord, his word, and his elect. Again, these are our true treasures, because Christ is our true treasure, and the more we are like him, the more we are enriched.
In short, as long as the result is that our lives are more Christ-like, as long as we are trusting more in the Lord, hoping more in his kingdom and his will to be done, longing more to be with him, longing more for his kingdom to come, then, well, that is the important point, isn’t it? We need not understand why this or that happened. We need only to know God. It is enough to know that our gracious Heavenly Father loves us, to know that he walks with us and talks with us, to know that he guides us, to know that he takes care of us, to know that he comforts us, to know that he binds our wounds, to know that he heals our hearts, to know that he is for us and not against us. It is enough to know that God is our loving Heavenly Father.
So let us not shrink from the fiery trials which assail us and threaten to undo us, and the painful thorns which ever so deeply pierce us. Rather, may we see our trials and afflictions and griefs as God graciously and lovingly forming Christ in us, for our good and for his glory. Let us see our disgrace as God’s grace towards us. Let us see Christ making us, the unlovely and unlovable, into a bride who is beautiful because of her holiness. Let us see our weakness as his strength. For his grace is sufficient for us, his power is made perfect in our weakness. And, when such things befall us, let us fall coram Deo, and thank our gracious Heavenly Father for his love and mercy towards us who only deserved his wrath!
