Our discussion this week in the Life of Jesus class raised a question about suffering, and about God’s will.
Romans 8:28 tells us:
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
God causes all things, even the terrible and traumatic, to work together for his glory, and for good. This can be a hard truth to accept. We want a God who will make us feel better…right now…and take away the pain, and the sense of injustice when innocent or defenseless people suffer.
Just this week, senseless terrorism at the Boston Marathon finish line took the lives of three, and maimed or injured many dozens more. This is not only a tragedy, it is a challenge to our faith and trust in God.
John MacArthur writes:
Every aspect of our lives is in God’s hands and will be divinely used by the Lord not only to manifest His own glory but also to work out our own ultimate blessing…
We are always in God’s hands. We may not feel like we are, but the Bible assures us of that truth.
MacArthur goes on:
Paul is not saying that God prevents His children from experiencing things that can harm them. He is rather attesting that the Lord takes all that He allows to happen to His beloved children, even the worst things, and turns those things ultimately into blessings.
No matter what our situation, our suffering, our persecution, our sinful failure, our pain, our lack of faith-in those things, as well as in all other things, our heavenly Father will work to produce our ultimate victory and blessing. The corollary of that truth is that nothing can ultimately work against us. Any temporary harm we suffer will be used by God for our benefit (see 2 Cor. 12:7–10). All things includes circumstances and events that are good and beneficial in themselves as well as those that are in themselves evil and harmful.