I don’t know about you, but I want things in my life and in this world to make sense, to be predictable, to be foreseeable, to be understandable, to be controllable. I guess I want to feel that I have some power over the events that surround and affect me on a daily basis. I can even be lulled into temporary complacency, thinking I will always have tomorrow to do or to take care of whatever it is that I am putting off doing at the moment. And then the unexpected evil strikes and I am reminded that I should be redeeming the time.
“Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:15-16)
It certainly does seem as though these days are filled with evil events that surprise us and shock us out of any complacency that might have characterized our days. I find myself feeling overwhelmed, discouraged and defeated when such evil acts occur. I often feel paralyzed, wondering what I can do, if anything, that will make a difference against such seemingly overwhelming evil. Then I remember these words from Paul’s letter to the church in Rome –
“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21)
Ok, I am to be doing good in this world. But what does that “good” look like? Well, as it turns out, in Romans I find some pretty good (pun intended) suggestions of good things I can do, suggestions on how I can live my life in a way that just might make a difference for good, that just might make this world more like the place I wish that it were and desperately want it to be. These are the directions –
“Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. . . . Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. . . . Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. . . . Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath. . . . On the contrary: If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.” (Romans 12:9-20)
These words are good advice but a constant challenge for me to actually live out. However, when I do follow God’s leading and obey His commands, through the power of His Holy Spirit, I discover that I am able to make a difference for good in this world. I need not be paralyzed with fear and despair when horrible things happen, things that break my heart and cause me to question who is winning this war – good or evil? I don’t have to remain paralyzed. God calls me to action – the action of loving Him and of loving my neighbor. Action is the antidote to paralysis just as love is the antidote to hate and peace the antidote to violence.
It is all too easy for me to become burdened with the “whys” when terrible things happen – BUT these words of Jesus give me hope –
“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
I don’t have to lose hope when circumstances seem to suggest that evil is winning the day. After all, God allowed Joseph to be sold by his own brothers into slavery in Egypt. Looked like a win for evil. BUT – There Joseph worked his way up into a pretty sweet gig, being in charge of Potiphar’s household. That didn’t last however, and Joseph ended up in prison after being falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife. BUT – in prison Joseph found favor and made friends with Pharoah’s cupbearer. This lead to Joseph eventually becoming Pharoah’s second in command. Why did God let the bad things happen to Joseph? Joseph himself answered this question when he said this to his brothers –
“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” (Genesis 50:20)
In this case it was the literal saving of the physical lives of Abraham’s descendants, Jacob and his sons and their children. There was a famine in their land so they traveled to Egypt to get food to sustain them. Egypt had plentiful stores of grain because of Joseph’s wise leadership, so Joseph was able to offer them lifesaving rations. But Joseph did better than that, he invited them to come to Egypt to live, all of them and their flocks and herds of animals which would otherwise have died during the famine. The saving of many lives was accomplished.
Today, God is still bringing good out of evil events. Evil never has the last word. In John, I read these words of Jesus –
“I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” (John 12:24)
How true. The buried seed becomes a plant or a tree which grows and produces a thousand- fold more seeds, which will in their turn be buried, allowing them to produce an even greater crop of plants and trees and exponentially more seeds. Today, even as I grieve, I will not be paralyzed by the “whys.” Instead, I will trust in the goodness of my Sovereign Heavenly Father and His eternally good plan for His beloved, those He created in His very own image – us – you and me, dear readers – we are His and He has good plans for each one of us.
” ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’ ” (Jeremiah 29:11)
If only you and I would choose His way instead of our own ways. When I choose to trust my Sovereign Creator God, I am no longer paralyzed by the “whys” of evil events or by the fear and despair that can result from evil acts apart from the grace, forgiveness and hope that are found in God’s ways. Today, and every day, I choose to trust in God, even in the face of evil.
” ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.’ ” (Isaiah 55:8-9)
sincerely, Grace Day