Good overcomes evil. It's easy to say, easy to hope for, but when the rubber meets the road--what about then? When you're faced with difficulty and asking why, it's not an easy pill to swallow, right? I was really struck with that while studying Philippians 1:12 and surrounding sections for a WIP I'm working on and wanted to share. Because Paul knows a few things about turning evil for good, and just how the Lord manages to work through and despite trial and difficulty and thorns in sides and persecution the likes of which the Church hasn't seen for a long time.
In this verse, Paul was encouraging the Philippians that, even though he's under arrest right now, the Lord was using those circumstances to actually reach the guards that were holding Paul prisoner! He continued to share the gospel message to anyone and everyone he came in contact with, and people were converted because of Paul's example and dedication to the faith.
Paul didn't stop what he was doing for the Lord, nor did he allow bitterness or unrest or unease settle into his spirit through his prison time, even though he easily could have. How often do we question God and ask why when we're going through difficult circumstances because we chose to follow Him?
Because Paul didn't allow his circumstances to color his attitude toward the Lord, Paul was still moldable in God's hands and able to be used for God's intents, making the most of the prison sentence.
It's the same assurance woven through the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation. Notably, Genesis 50:20 when Joseph tells his brothers that, even though their actions were meant for evil, the Lord turned it for good and the rescuing of many people. We see it time and time again through the Bible, not just with Joseph and Paul. David, too, shows this change from sorrow to delight in many of his psalms. Because the Lord takes darkness and turns it to light--and He is the only one who can. We must only be obedient and moldable.
He can even take our own mistakes and screw-ups and turn them into testimonies of how He drew us out of the darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9). Does that mean that God's will aligns exactly with how we envisioned or dreamed our life would be?
No.
There's trial and circumstance and pain on the path of following Him, but so is joy and peace and hope and love and mercy beyond anything we can comprehend. And if we give up our own will and align ourselves with the Lord's, we'll rejoice with every opportunity, just as Paul did.
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