“There shall no evil happen to the just.” (Proverbs 12:21)
If in retrospect, we call this day, “Good Friday,” is there anything we go through, that we cannot call good? Do we really believe that, “It’s ALL good”?
The story of Joseph is the greatest Old Testament example of God redeeming evil for His own good purpose. “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good…” (Gen. 50:20) Joseph had no idea when he was in the midst of his trouble what God was up to “behind the scenes.” He had to trust.
We rejoice today in the blessings this day has brought to us. It’s always easy to rejoice and give thanks AFTER we have learned what God was up to; but God wants us to give Him thanks beforehand – trusting Him with all our heart and not leaning to our own understanding. He “doeth great things past finding out” (Job 9:10).
What “bad” thing can’t God use toward a good end in the life of His people? When we belong to Him, we are to know that ALL things work together for GOOD. (Rom. 8:28) If that’s the case, then every bad thing we go through must be viewed as an opportunity for our great God to wonderfully redeem.
Saint of God – this may be a very dark day for you. It may be a day of great trouble – even of suffering and death. But one day you will look back on this “Bad Friday” and call it Good Friday. You will understand and appreciate what your amazing God was doing through it. For now, give thanks in everything – even if you must do so by faith. “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” (1 Thes. 5:18)
There are indeed genuinely bad things that touch our lives in this world. On this day, we remember the horrific even when a Man (the best Man who ever lived) was callously tortured to death. Remarkably, we call the day “Good Friday.” We do so because we know that God used the worst event the world has ever witnessed to usher in the greatest good imaginable.
Abraham Lincoln once said: ‘Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?’ Pain and suffering of any kind is an evil, bad thing. Death will always be an enemy. But God wants us to stare these bad things, these enemies, in the face and declare: “I will destroy you! – by letting God use you to work His good in my life.”