When life isn't making sense

When I was a little boy, I lived with my grandparents for a number of years. They came from Arkansas, and they were very old-fashioned in every way. They were great people. I called my grandmother Mama Stella and my grandfather Daddy Charles.

Mama Stella was a great cook and made every meal from scratch. When she wanted to serve chicken, Daddy Charles went out and killed a chicken, she prepared it, and we had fresh chicken. And her greatest specialty, her biscuits, were so good that sometimes we even had them for dessert. I loved them.

I watched her make them in the kitchen and tried to unravel the mystery of what made them so good. After I got married, I said to my wife, "Cathe, watch Mama Stella. You have to crack the code. We have to bring these biscuits to the next generation."

Mama Stella didn't follow a cookbook. She simply put all the ingredients together, and when she was done, the biscuits were perfect. The individual ingredients certainly weren't appealing on their own. But when she put them together in the correct amounts and baked them at the right temperature, the result was incredible.

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The circumstances of our lives, including the troubles and hardships, are a lot like Mama Stella's biscuit dough. In and of themselves, they aren't tasteful to us. We shun them and recoil from the heat of difficulty. But after God, in his infinite skill, combines them perfectly and bakes them in the oven of adversity, we will be able to say one day, "It is good."

Of course, not everything that happens is good. But God is working all things together for our good. The Bible tells us, "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them" (Romans 8:28 NLT).

The Old Testament tells the story of Joseph, whose brothers horribly wronged him. But he forgave them, and ultimately, they all moved to Egypt, where they were under Joseph's care and protection. However, they wondered whether he would turn on them after their father, Jacob, died.

They imagined, wrongly, that Joseph's goodness stemmed from his respect for his father. But they hadn't yet realized that Joseph's love for them was unconditional and came straight from his heart.

He told them, "Don't be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people" (Genesis 50:19–20 NLT).

Joseph knew that God is sovereign. He recognized that nothing ever comes in the life of the believer that has not first been approved by God.

Joseph also knew that God is good. Whatever God does is for our benefit and the benefit of others. No matter what came Joseph's way, no matter how wicked its origin, God turned it around for good. As he later said to his brothers, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good."

Without a doubt, Romans 8:28 is one of the greatest verses in the Bible. It is one that we quote quite often as Christians, especially when we're going through hardships. And we should invoke the privileges that it brings.

However, let's make sure that we meet the criteria of the text. Romans 8:28 does not apply to those who do not love God. Do you love him? Are you called according to his purpose for you? If not, then you cannot lay claim to its promises.

Some people believe the circumstances of their lives depend on luck or fate. But Christians can be confident that God is in control of their lives and has a master plan for them. We may not know what the future holds, but we know who holds the future.

There will be times in our lives when things seem to be falling apart. They won't make any sense. Yet it is so great to know that we serve a sovereign God who is good.

The Bible says of God, "Your regulations remain true to this day, for everything serves your plans" (Psalm 119:91 NLT).

This, of course, does not mean that all things that happen to us are good things. There are things that can happen that, in and of themselves, are not good. But Romans 8:28 teaches us that "God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them" (NLT).

I went through hardship as a kid. I came from a home that was broken many, many times over. I wouldn't wish my childhood on anyone. But God used it to make me the person that I am.

Of course, it is hard for us to imagine certain things working for good in their present condition. But the Bible isn't saying that tragedy is good. Rather, it's saying that God will work it together for good in spite of what it is. God can take a horrible thing and make good come as a result of it.

I know it seems hard to understand, especially if you're going through a tragedy right now. In fact, there are times when I've simply said, "I don't know why. I don't understand it. But let's pray. Let's look to God. Let's trust him, even if we don't understand it."

God is not a liar, which means that everything you've experienced up to this point in your life can be used for good. Maybe you have gone through hardship. Maybe bad things have been done to you. God can work them out for good.

Perhaps today you are going through a process in which God is working things in your life together for good. You may not see it yet. But remember, you are a work in progress. Be patient. Ultimately, you have God's word on this. He is paying careful attention to even the smallest details of your life.

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