A writing friend, Jeff Goins, recently wrote that he believes God can only bless or redeem. In other words, every time God reaches out of eternity and disturbs the water of our time-bound lives, he has one of two purposes in mind, to bless or to redeem. Through these two filters we understand the everything that ever happen in our lives:
- “This was supposed to happen. So I can be grateful for it.”
- “This wasn’t supposed to happen, but good will come of it.”
I often hear Romans 8.28 misquoted badly, as well meaning Christians insist “Everything happens for a reason.” The associated, often unspoken truism is that God is behind all events, blessing them and thus blessing us.
One problem with misquoting scripture is that we walk away feeling less than comforted. The often unspoken message with this subtle twist on Paul’s words is that if we don’t measure up to the idea, then we’re defective. If everything happens for a purpose, and I don’t see it, or am lost in my grief of the moment, then what does that say about me, and my connection to my loving God?
Here’s the text of Romans 8.28
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, forthose who are called according to his purpose (ESV)
First of all, the end of Romans 8 sets this promise in the midst of a discussion of how terrible and difficult things are a part of Paul’s life. The entire context of this passage is the trial and struggle that can, and often is part of a believer’s life.
Secondly, this promise is apparently conditional. The promise of God working out everything for his glory and our good is dependent on “those who love God . . . and are called according to his purpose.” At the risk of being overly insensitive to those awash in a sea of grief or despair, according to this passage, if you want to see God work out the worst circumstances to his glory and your ultimate good, you have to walk it out, and not quit somewhere in the middle.
Does this interpretation fit the rest of Scripture?
While the Israelites were in Egypt, nearly 100 generations died as slaves, waiting for their redeemer. Things didn’t go so well for them, and if the entire tribe had given up . . . would God have still sent Moses? I don’t know, but I see that when God speaks with his recalcitrant deliverer, God says:
“I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings.” (Ex 3.7)
What was God waiting for? How could God sit idly by while is chosen people died under the Egyptian lash? Could it be he was forming something in the hearts of his people, conditioning their character so they would be willing to follow before he sent a redeemer? In the process of redeeming evil dumped into our lives, could it be that God purpose is creating something tender and responsive in our hearts?
As the Israelites crossed the desert, many of those that started well set their hearts to return to Egypt, rather than follow “Moses’ God.” They didn’t remain “called according to God’s purpose.” As a result, the desert became a final cemetery rather than a purifying sanctuary for hundreds of thousands of God’s chosen people.
What’s my point?
As written, this promise in Roman’s is neither shallow, nor does it apply to everyone, but not because of a fickle god. The promise also doesn’t say that everything in the world is good.
- Hurricanes Sandy and Katrina
- Disease and poverty in third world sub-continents
- A teenager who gets an abortion because she doesn’t see any other way to solve her “problem”
- Political leaders to trample their people’s rights to amass their own power and wealth
- A family blown apart by divorce, or the sudden death of a son, daughter, mom, or dad
These blights of evil leave a destructive swath in personal tragedy, like a tornado though a peaceful neighborhood. These events are evidence of the hand of the god of this world, not the Living God. Yet our God is seen as he uses these events, seen in how he can use them to change us, soften our hearts, and bring us to a place where we more fully reflect his character and compassion.
Saying “everything happens for a reason” is a Pollyanna for me. I’m sorry; I don’t buy it. Sometimes bad, terrible things happen to good people. Our response to them is what shapes our character, and enables our God to work them together for good.
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