That God is always working can't really be argued. History is the record of it, and too much of it has miraculous overtones that can't be explained any other way. People of faith know He's working for our good too. This fact alone gives us hope as we grieve and try to make sense of a troubled world. Many of us expect this good to come gift-wrapped in a smart package delivered at the time and place of our choosing. Now, or sooner works best.
Someone smarter than me said diamond miners have to sift through a lot of dirt to unearth a diamond these days. It's more than possible that the good He's doing in our lives is buried deep under layers of life too. That may be one of the reasons so many of us have a hard time thanking God for everything (see 1 Thess. 5:18). The horror of some events blinds us so that we cannot detect the faint outlines of the good He's working in us. That good may actually be indistinct on the far horizon, beyond the curvature of our imagination. Like the diamond, it could be buried under tons and tons of dirt. As people of hope we know the good is there. But, our best Sunday School ideals often makes them near, the belief that we are on the cusp of them right now. They are, however, dimmed by time.
The writer of Hebrews encouraged his readers and challenged them to remain strong in heart as they waited for deliverance. He told them to endure, that is, to remain long, to hyper-stay. He wrote, "For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, so that you won't grow weary and lose heart" (Heb. 12:3). It's what happens to many of us as we wait for the good. We lose heart, give up, throw in the towel because we expected the good to come sooner.
So, the thanking God in everything part becomes an unfulfilled dream, and as the clock ticks and the calendar turns, sometimes a hidden doubt. The good may linger and linger, we may find the wherewithal to thank Him in anticipation of it. But, waiting gets harder and harder.
Another promise makes the outline of that good more distinct. Paul wrote it. To the Philippians, he wrote, "I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 1:6). That He is always working gives us vision for life. That He is working for our good is a promise that we'd like to grasp and live by, but that often fades as we wait. To know that He will bring it to completion surrounds us with endurance.
Paul also wrote, "But if we wait for hope we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with patience" (Romans 8:25). Ouch, there's that word again, patience. That's what I want as I wait to discover the good in some pretty painful experiences. And, guess what? It's a fruit of the Spirit and should grow in my life as a product of my relationship with Him.
And, when I wait and see it clearly, this good that is out there, then with a clear heart I can thank Him for everything, dirty hands and all.
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