I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6)
An accepted aspect of our faith is that God gets what God desires. I trust this and commit to living within this framework and look to proclaim this promise amidst everyday life.
However, I do not interpret this as being the same as "everything that happens is God's will". I do not believe that when a young family loses a child, when wild fires rage, when war devastates a nation and refugees experience a living hell, when relationships dissolve, or whenever a person unceremoniously loses a job that this is part of "God's will" or "God's plan."
What I believe and trust is that God is powerful and compassionate enough to work God's purposes of love, peace, mercy, and grace amidst all the realities of our fractured and sinful world.
Humans are free to live and choose our destinies. Thus, we don't always make decisions that are helpful to ourselves or others. And to be sure, our sin-filled world breeds tragedies and heart-wrenching experiences, many of which are outside of our control.
Like Paul, I am confident that the Lord is working for good in our lives, always. The Lord can and does and will bring hope in the midst of hopelessness, light in the midst of darkness, new life in the midst of death. THIS IS WHAT GOD DOES AND WHAT GOD IS ALL ABOUT!
Be confident that the Lord will break the cycles of sin our lives and lead us into faithfulness and peace. Be confident that the Lord does not abandon us to the whims of our broken existence but instead hunkers down with us amidst is all so as to change our lives and bring comfort and strength. Be confident that the Lord will be who He has promised to be! Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment