Just look at the news on television or the headlines on the Internet and you can see why even Christians wonder “Why does God let bad stuff happen?” While that is a subject of its own, we do know that God promises us that everything works together for good to those who love Him. How can we take the well-known promise in Romans and apply it to the bad things that happen to us?
Plans for You
God is in control. Even when it seems like everything is spinning out of control, He knows where you are headed. While you can debate the reason that bad things happen, you must learn to trust God that He can use them for your good and for the good of others.
Take Joyce Meyer, for instance. She is one of the leading Bible teachers of today. Her ministry teaches women about surrendering to God in every area of their lives to enjoy a more fulfilling life in Christ. This comes from a woman that was the victim of sexual abuse as a child and had many struggles in her young adult life as a result. However, God has used those experiences to help her be able to reach out to others.
And then there is Christine Caine, founder of A21 ministries that fights against human trafficking and works to rescue young girls. She understands abuse because she too was a victim of sexual abuse as a young person by several men. The battle to overcome the aftereffects of that situation was long and difficult, but it put her into a position where she can understand what others go through to re-establish a sense of self-worth. Her journey to trusting God and being able to be used by Him has been challenging, but she is now able to help others in a way that many people could not.
It Comes Down to Trust
One can argue all day about why evil things happen to good people and why God allows such situations to occur when He is all-powerful. That is not the point we should be focusing on. Instead, we must trust that God has a plan for each one of us, a plan that will not be derailed by any events that take place in our lives. In fact, He will use those circumstances to help us create a ministry that we could not have otherwise.
Your job is not to figure out God’s plan but to follow along and trust Him even through the dark times. When He is ready, He will lead you into a ministry so filled with purpose that it will amaze you. Your job is to get your heart to the place where that can happen. Are you ready to take the evil from your past and turn it into good?
