He Wrote the Book
“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”
Genesis 50:20
In Genesis 50, verse 20, it says that God intends suffering for a good purpose. And that purpose is “for the saving of many lives.” Whether it’s a global catastrophe or a power outage on your cul-de-sac, hardships should have your unsaved neighbors looking at you, and thinking, “Wow, he’s not complaining; look how gracefully he handles this; his God must be pretty awesome; maybe I need to learn more about him!” You see, suffering in this world (your world) is never a toss of the cosmic dice. We trust a God of good intentions, the ‘best’ of intentions. So, may God help you see that he permits what he hates, ‘always’ to accomplish what he loves: … and he loves that people see Jesus in you, Jesus, the one who wrote the book on suffering.
Who Really Controls the Suffering You Go Through?
Joni Eareckson Tada reflects on the mystery of God’s role in suffering, explaining that while God permits pain and affliction, he does so with a purpose for our good and his glory, offering grace and comfort to endure through trials.
