Trusting Goodness

“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
2 Corinthians 6:21
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.  For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son …”
Romans 8:28, 29a
 
Trusting Goodness
Do I really think that God plans good for Christians no matter what is happening to them?  Perhaps you and I should ask ourselves that question periodically.  Asking it out loud, no matter what I’m doing always stops me in my tracks.  At least the tracks of my thinking.
I was well into my adult years when I realized that my brain was working on things constantly, without me even knowing it.  When my children were young I’d go to bed exhausted – having six children running all over an acreage does that – but unable to sleep because my mind was seeing quilt designs and colors and fabrics. 
I’ve since realized that my mind thinks all kinds of things, not just artistic designs.  And it thinks without my permission.  Easily it’s sinful thoughts living there, because I’m a sinner.
So I take care with what is in my mind; it’s one of my chief daily efforts.  Memorizing Scripture and reciting it back to God, and singing hymns and praise songs when I’m busy around the house or chatting with friends are always the starting point for training my mind to think Truth. 
Even so, that ole’ mind can still be pretty sloppy sometimes, when I’m not paying detailed attention to it.  In Jerry Bridges’ book, Trusting God: Even When Life Hurts, various subjects having to do with trusting God’s sovereignty are discussed.  Often he returns to Romans 8:28 and 29 as the best reason to trust and the best explanation for pain and trouble.
This is where I realized my sloppy thinking was circumventing the peace gained by trusting God.  There is a ‘good’ that you and I can actually expect in our lives, even if our circumstances are horrible and continue to be horrible. I’m praising God for Bridges’ explanation because I had blindly begun to assume, without realizing it, He will work that good into my life which is copacetic to what my idea of good is.
Even though Scripture clearly shows it’s the grating pain of adversity, not comfort or ease or prosperity that is God’s instrument of choice for sanctifying His people. Even though since first century AD the Church – and the persecuted Church of today -- has gloriously impacted the world from the fires of suffering that God didn’t abateit wouldn’t apply to me.  Even though somewhere Christians have always lived in want, without opportunity to better their families’ lives, and in physical sickness without remedy.
And even though the Church has suffered more in the 20th century than in all of history combined, I just slid into keeping myself unscathed. 
God is God, so He doesn’t make mistakes, He knows what He is doing in usesing all things for the good of His people.     
There is cosmic purpose in it all: That’s because of what ‘good’ really is.  VGod predestined us to be conformed to the image of His Son.  And that Son is good, actually the only good of all time, ever.
This is no glib feel-good statement.  It is He Who knows what is necessary … and He works adversity and blessing to fashion Christlikeness in us hard resistant sinners. 
Sinners with renegade minds of our own.  Sinners with the propensity for refashioning reality in our own image. But think: our story is a God-given story because it’s a story of sanctification and is tailor-made for each of us.  What a blessed and challenging life we who are loved-by-God are to have!
Therefore, in light of Romans 8:28 and 29, our prayers can be three-fold: One) that we would submit to Him in all things because His purpose is for our good; and Two) that we would watch over our minds’ thinking, for this readies us to meet Him in our sufferings and difficulties rather than fighting against Him; and Three) that we would cooperate by believing and trusting God’s Word.  When we’re hemmed in, pressed down, and cornered in the hard things, remember God’s Word!
But more than remembering, go further: wrap this truth around your soul and use it to guard your susceptible mind because -- what heavenly joy this is! -- He is working all things for ‘good’ – His image in you.