“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” -Romans 8: 28 (NIV)
[God] uses evil to bring evil to naught.” -Donald G. Bloesch, The Struggle of PrayerIn Chapter 8 (“Is God Good Even When Life Isn’t?”) of You’ll Get Through This, author Max Lucado tells of the time when his then two-year-old daughter Jenna fell into a friend’s swimming pool while the adults had gone in to get food. Although Jenna quickly was rescued, a question formed in Max’s mind: “If Jenna hadn’t survived, would God still be good?”
As Pastor Lucado notes, it’s easy to say that “God is good” when the outcome is good. But when we’re blindsided and devastated by our ministry downsizing or vocation loss, is God still good? Is God always good? Especially during adversity, that question becomes more than academic.
But how far will our trials go before we draw a line in the sand? Pastor Lucado states that most of us have a one-way contractual agreement with God. We believe in that agreement even though God hasn’t signed off on it. When our line in the sand is crossed, our questions multiply. Max comments:
“Yet, when God fails to meet our bottom-line expectations, we’re left spinning in a tornado of questions. Is he good at all? Is God angry at me? Stumped? Overworked? Is his power limited? His authority restricted? Did the devil outwit him? When life isn’t good, what are we to think about God? Where is he in all this?”
The key discussed in tomorrow’s post, is that we must let God define good.
Today’s question: Which of Max’s “tornado of questions” have you asked? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “God is in all days”
