God’s Design

Is everything that happens part of God’s design? The Bible, the only true revelation of who God is, records many less-than-wonderful events that are said to be part of His design. I can’t imagine Noah enjoyed the long years building the ark only to have to spend months confined to the stinky floating zoo.  Some people think the story of Job’s troubles may be an allegory, but historical or not, God is portrayed as having specific intent in the affair. Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery where he languished in prison for years before ascending to Pharoah’s side. He eventually told his brothers that although they intended to do him harm, God intended their actions for good.

The most egregious of these evil-intended-for-good events is the crucifixion of our Savior. The Jewish religious leaders intended to do Jesus great bodily harm, but in the first gospel sermon, Peter declared that God purposely used them to save the world through their evil intentions. One of the most astounding things found in Scripture is the revelation that the Lamb was slain before the foundation of the world. God knew a costly redemption would be necessary before He spoke the first word of creation.

When the Apostle Paul was beaten with rods (multiple times) or stoned (once to the point of death) or chased by wild animals or shipwrecked in a storm, it is reasonable to assume that he suffered real, physical trauma. Yet he said that he rejoiced to “fill up in my flesh what is lacking of the afflictions of Christ on behalf of His body which is the church.” One marvels at the oversized faith of the first disciples who faced suffering with supreme confidence that their trust in God’s intentions would result in their deliverance – if not from physical death, then certainly from eternal death. It is an act of faith to remember during a difficult time that God said, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways,” but that doesn’t make the way any less painful.

Although I can only hope I have that kind of confidence if I ever have to face recant-or-die challenges, I suspect I fall short (woefully short) of the measure of faith demonstrated by the early saints in the little trials I do encounter. When I don’t get that hoped-for job; when I get that flat tire; when I suffer the excruciating pain of a colitis attack; when the wicked prosper while I struggle to make ends meet; then do I rejoice that I am counted worthy to suffer for the name of Christ. I have to ask if God is really in all the little things that make up my life.

Years ago, I was driving a school bus along a highway when I saw some gravel that had been tossed onto the pavement. I thought about the significance of the gravel. Was it there because someone drifted off the road? Did they lose control and crash? Did they regain control and move safely back onto the roadway in a “Jesus Take the Wheel” moment? Was God responsible for whatever happened? I began asking myself how deeply God is involved in the seemingly inconsequential things in our lives. I realized something crucial that day: nothing is without significance.

I must believe this. To deny God’s hand in one thing is to question His part in everything. If even one piece of gravel lands outside of God’s sovereign control, it would leave open the possibility that any of His plans could fail. Don’t think that the enemy of our souls won’t take every opportunity to thwart God’s design for His people. He has throughout history. Just look at Israel’s track record. Satan tried again and again to deceive them or destroy them. Only the relentless mercy and power of the Sovereign God kept a remnant alive to accomplish their mission to bring forth the Messiah.

 The Apostle Paul said that God is at work in us “to will and to work for His good pleasure.” Notice it says, “His good pleasure,” not yours. Not mine. Paul is saying God will do whatever He wants, however He wants to accomplish His will. It is curious that the verse before this says, “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” Here we face the historic dilemma of God’s sovereignty contrasted with man’s free will. This is in the context of Jesus being exalted so that every knee should bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of the Father. Paul says that being the case, believers must get to work on their salvation. The “work” he recommends is obedience – obedience to the sovereign will of God.

I think one of the hardest things about this is accepting that our trials, our pains, our suffering are the conditions of God working in us for His good pleasure. It will often not be pleasurable for us, this working of God. Job’s words in the midst of his terrible suffering keep coming back to me: “Though he kill me, I will hope in Him.” When our suffering is at its worst, it is tempting to wish that God would indeed kill us. “Put me out of my misery,” we might say. Yet, we are told that Jesus was able to endure the shame of the cross, which included the worst pain imaginable, because of the joy that was set before Him. He knew with absolute certainty that He would be going back to His place at the Father’s side after His full obedience to God’s will.

Did the nails hurt less because He knew His future? Did His foreknowledge reduce the shame of hanging like a common criminal for all to mock and gawk at? I doubt it. It may be scant comfort in the dark night of the soul to remember the encouragement given to the Hebrews: “For consider the one who endured such hostility by sinners against himself, so that you will not grow weary in your souls and give up. You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood as you struggle against sin.” No matter how close we may come to shedding our blood, there can only be one response to trials: surrender to God’s design. What else can we do?

Related Posts: Necessary Obedience; The Knowledge of Good and Evil; Rolling Thunder