Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
All things? What about injustice? Temptation? Disappointment? I’ve been struck recently with how often God uses people’s weaknesses to ultimately bring about his purposes. He is the supreme recycler, able to transform the “garbage” that comes with human nature into invaluable lessons about how to do life his way. Marvin Olasky serves as a prime example…
Marvin Olasky, editor of World magazine, recounts the story of when the concept of “compassionate conservatism” which he espoused, took hold in the Bush administration. Olasky’s brush with power thrust him into a world where political naivety takes no hostage. His semi-association with President Bush made him the target of intense scrutiny by journalists and critics. Before he knew it, every carelessly worded remark was twisted into a distortion of his views. No matter how hard he tried to set the record straight, the disparity between what he believed and what was actually reported prevailed. It eventually thwarted any aspirations he had of becoming a major political player.
But Olasky’s assessment of such unfair treatment is not what we would expect.
He realized the lure of power enticed him far more than he was prepared to withstand. Like J.R.R. Tolkien’s Frodo, he might easily have succumbed to “the power of the ring” had it not been for what he calls the “Gollums” of the national media. He saw how God used them to protect him essentially from himself in his pursuit of a direction that would have detoured him from his true calling.
So what about the “Gollums” in your life? Those people who have seemingly snatched up your hopes of success or blocked the road to your heart’s desire? Those who have—knowingly or unknowingly—used “unfair” tactics against you? Don’t be discouraged. There is nothing you have encountered that God will not use for good. He alone can take the trash and refuse that has littered your world and make it beautiful.
It’s the economy of his Kingdom…..