Am I In The Place of God?

The Intentional God & Freedom From Unforgiveness (Part II)

The Intentional God And His Good Purposes

As Christians, it is not a stretch to apply the principle from Joseph’s story to the evils in our lives today. According to Paul, the Spirit of God helps the saints in our weakness and intercedes for us ‘‘according to the will of God … For those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose”. This purpose is that we become “conformed to the image of his Son” (Romans 8:26-29).  In Ephesians 1:3-12, Paul states that God “works all things according to the counsel of his will” and His will was to redeem a people and lavish them with immeasurable spiritual blessings in Christ, for the Glory of His name. The ultimate example of God using evil for good is the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ, The (only) Righteous One. Through Christ’s death and resurrection, those who believe in him are reconciled to God, redeemed from sin and death into eternal life. It is also a great example of how God’s Sovereignty and mankind’s responsibility for our sins are not in contradiction.  

“…This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, losing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it”. (Acts 2:23-24 ) 

My point is that God’s Spirit is interceding for us in perfect accordance with God’s Will and God’s Will is sure to happen because He “works all things according to the counsel of his will”. So, when evil does happen in our lives, we can be sure that it is not random. God deemed it necessary to shape us into the image of Christ. In the words of Peter:

“In this, you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ”. (1 Peter 1:6-7)

This truth can be hard to swallow, especially if you experienced horrific evil. I am not minimizing your pain or claiming healing will come overnight. I only hope to encourage you by pointing you to the biblical truth that, if you belong to Christ, your suffering is never in vain and never unnecessary.

Fueled For Forgiveness

For me, the resentment and grudge started to slowly dissipate as I pondered these truths. ‘Am I in the place of God’ to say that this situation with Ash should never have happened? That I would have been better off if it did not? No! My all-wise, all-good, all-sovereign, all-powerful, all-righteous Father knows best indeed. Ash was used by God to execute His Will in my life: my sanctification. In a sense, I am grateful to have gone through this difficult season.

One way that I can see sanctification at work through this is that God is  ‘training my forgiveness muscle’. How can I claim to know anything about forgiving others if I have never struggled with and overcome, by God’s grace, the sin of unforgiveness? I had never really wrestled with unforgiveness but only forbearance or small offenses. For the first time, I am learning to forgive.

Evidence Of Forgiveness 

Through the story of Joseph, God taught me two other things about forgiveness:

1) The lack of emotional pain or hurt is not necessarily evidence of forgiveness. It could just be apathy. In the same way, the emotional pain or hurt remaining is not necessarily a sign of unforgiveness (Genesis 42:24; 43:30; 50:17). 

2) An evidence of forgiveness (or at least evidence of being on the path towards full and freeing forgiveness), is the firm resolve not to take revenge in any way, shape, or form but instead to bless (Genesis 50:21). 

Still Beholding The Intentional God 

I wish I could claim to have forever conquered the sin of unforgiveness but I know better. My heart is still wicked and selfish. However, this Holy Spirit-taught lesson is a major milestone in my sanctification in Christ Jesus. I will stand firm beholding and delighting in the intentional God and watch as He continues to grow the fruit of forgiveness in my heart, to the praise of His Glory.

Amen!