We are continuing our focus on how to cope with evil and suffering.
Our first assertion was…
1. God has provided a future without evil for those who choose Him now.

Now, we are elaborating on the second assertion:
2. God has provided peace and hope in the face of evil.

We have covered three of six instructions regarding this:
1.) If we are going to respond correctly to the evil in this world, we must first receive from Jesus His peace that He freely gives His followers.
2.) It is okay to express our frustration to God.
3.) We must always affirm that God is still trustworthy.

The next instruction is…

4.) We must hold to the hope that God is working through the evil.

God doesn’t cause the evil, but He can use it for good.

I have often found great peace because of the promise in Romans 8:28:

Romans 8:28 (NIV)
“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.”

You may have learned the verse from a translation which says, “all things work together for good.” This is not meant to be a Que Sera, Sera statement. Paul is not saying, “whatever will be will be” as if things just always “happen” to work out okay.

No, Paul is talking about the active work of God in the lives of those whom He has called out to salvation and thereby have responded to His call by loving Him. Only those can have any hope of all things working out for their good.

But wait! Many things that happen to believers have no appearance of being for their good. The things themselves may be no good if you are living for the moment. But, God never looks for just the moment. He looks for the ultimate finished product. The ultimate product is that you and I may become refined to be like Jesus. Even adversities and afflictions contribute to that end. God harmonizes them together for the believers’ ultimate good, because His goal is to bring us to perfection in His presence. God is using every circumstance to bring us to completion.

Philippians 1:6 (ESV) “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

But, there is another good that God seeks to accomplish. God not only works every evil thing out for our good, but He works everything out for His good, for His ultimate purpose. When God allows one of His saints to be martyred, it may not seem good for the saint, but you can be sure God is working in that death to His ultimate goal. And that goal is that Jesus Christ may be glorified forever and ever.

All of this discussion is to say that many people misuse this verse to claim that Jesus wants only “good things” to come into their lives. If it doesn’t feel good or lead to health and prosperity, then it can’t be from God. Unfortunately, this narrow view leads many to be greatly disillusioned. They become discouraged because God didn’t work out a situation for what they see as their good.

There is one other thing I should point out about this verse.

Paul says, “And we know.” If you don’t know that God is working all things out for your good, then you will not be able to hold to the hope that God is working through evil. And, you will not be able to live in the peace that Christ so desperately wants to give you.

The Coronavirus is an evil thing. It has caused worldwide illness and death. It has destroyed many people’s livelihood. But, rest assured that God is working through this evil. Probably never in the history of the world have so many people listened to God’s Word through the medium of the internet.
And, the reports are that many are turning to faith in Christ.