ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD
In life, there is always two sides to a coin; two sides to an issue, whether good or bad, whether right or wrong, whether vertical or horizontal, whether joy or pain. Investigators work on both sides to get to the bottom. Human beings are happy when good things happen to them. We feel proud if we proffer the right opinion or answer. We feel joyful when we are blessed with something amazing and wonderful. We enjoy successful attainments and achievements; most times we are tempted to boast as if we could do anything by ourselves. Some people take pride in personal success, such as: I did it, I scored the winning goal, I excel the highest in class or I was the best employee of the year and I founded that undertaking, etc. However, when something bad happens, they behalf as if it’s unusual. They begin to ask: Why me? Why now and how can? Wait a minute: who should it happen to? They justify themselves by asking: why should God allow this to happen? After all, we pay fat tithes and sow seed offerings! Why should a dear one pass now? And why should there be such a storm and why should people hate one another? When someone dies, we often ask: who killed him? The answer is simple: there is life and death. When someone dies, it’s nothing but death that killed him; period.
But this bible verse say, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose [Romans 8:28]. It’s not like we are ignorance of this truth but we just refuse to accept the reality. Even nature teaches that there is good and bad, right and wrong, joy and pain, success and failure as well as life and death. Again this verse starts with, “And we know…” How can people enjoy good and do not expect bad? Could it be simply lack of knowledge and understanding? The biblical Job ask, “Shall we accept good from God and shall we not accept adversary? [Job 2:10] This was his response to his wife when she asked him to curse God in the midst of their adversary and calamities. In our world, we attribute all bad things to personal sin. We believe that every bad thing that befalls us is a punishment from God for our wrong doing. Prosperity preachers have not helped matters. Some attribute every bad thing to the enemies of your progress even though they claim to be very knowledgeable of the scripture and speaking under anointing.
Even in Jesus day, when He met with the 40 year old man born blind, His disciples first asked Him, “Master, “Who sinned, this man or his parents that he was born blind?” Jesus responded, “Neither this man or his parents sinned but that the works of God should be revealed in him” [John 9:2-3]. In a similar but different situation, Job’s friends had accused, mocked and persuaded him to speak out the truth, so that God may have mercy on him and roll away the series of calamities and tragedies that befell him and his family. Unfortunately, in our society, we have the same belief. We believe that every body that dies has a hidden killer. There is always someone behind every trouble we face in life. It may have been sent from home. There is no doubt that we live in an evil world and we battle with spiritual beings and wickedness in high places. Many of us have not been able to differentiate between trials and temptations. Yet God is bigger than all our enemies put together and greater than all circumstances we face. Again, that which is in us is greater than what is in the world. Enjoy the good days and prepare for bad days too?
That verse stresses in all things: not in some things, not in few things or in much things; in lesser things or in multiple things but again in all things. Whether good or bad, we should see it in the light that God is at work; except we do not love God and have not been called according to His purpose. We all know that God first loved us even before creation and has manifested His love in Jesus Christ. Also God has a purpose for every creation and He’s in control and stirs the ship of our lives, even when we feel less of His presence. We should begin to think like the image in us; like the biblical Job.
When Jesus allowed Peter to be tempted and He denied Him thrice, it was to prepare and then strengthen him for the higher calling of leadership in his destiny. When Jesus visited His disciples after his resurrection, Thomas was absent but it was for Thomas personal reassurance and testimony that will uphold him in ministry. Moses prepared from conception for the deliverance experience of the Israelites was raised and trained in Egyptians luxuries but had to face awful experience that warranted his leaving Egypt to pursue the purpose of his calling. David became a family shepherd boy and God used the field to prepare him for the victory over the Philistines. Daniel had to be put into den of lion to prove the power and sovereignty of the God he worshipped and promote him to higher offices. Joseph had to be hated by his brothers, put into pit and sold to Egyptians merchants; he went through prison and end up in the palace. In all these, God was working out His love and purpose. “Sometimes, it got to be bad to be good.” Enjoy uncommon surprises this month and learn to trust God in all things.
Reach: Evangelist Ogbonnaya, Godwsill at: weefreeminsitries@yahoo.com or P. O. Box 720035, Houston, Texas, 77272.