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When Adam ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, mankind's definition of good began to dramatically deviate from God's. This wicked departure is prevalent throughout human history, where countless dictators lied to, stole from, and even murdered their own people, all to vainly pursue their depraved perceptions of good. This horrid deviation continues today as people preach godless ideologies that leverage hatred, worldly wisdom, and fleshly works in futile attempts to achieve the equality only made possible through Christ's perfect salvation and unconditional love.
However, diverging from God's definition of good is not exclusive to unbelievers, for we also can harbor personal perceptions that prioritize our desires and agendas. Furthermore, doing so can blind us from seeing God keep His promise in Romans 8:28 to work all things together for His best for us. Thankfully, by holding to this and other Scriptural truths, we can recognize and submit ourselves to God's work in turning the worst of our circumstances for good.
A notable area where He performs this work is in our suffering. While we may only see pain, agony, and loss in our adversities, our heavenly Father uses them as opportunities to further our spiritual growth. For example, Romans 5:3-4 note that when we let God work in our suffering, He builds our faith in Him, conforms our character to Christ's, and increases our hope that He will never forsake us. Also, Philippians 3:8-10 reveal how our adversities deepen our relationship with Christ by removing obstacles to this growth, furthering our identity in Him, and allowing us to live in His resurrection power. In addition, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 proclaim that God uses our afflictions to help us see others with His eyes, enabling us to empathize with their tribulations, share His love with them, and show them His comfort. Thus, while our fleshly definitions of good prioritize escaping suffering, God's definition reveals the immense spiritual growth He works in us through it.
This incredible work of turning our trials for good extends to our persecutions. While we would prefer continual positive reception from preaching the Gospel, the Scriptures not only guarantee hostile reactions but also note their importance. For example, 2 Timothy 3:12 and Matthew 5:10 note that being persecuted for our faith proves our salvation and guarantees our entrance into heaven. Also, Matthew 5:11-12 note that God richly rewards us for overcoming persecutions by blessing us in this life and rewarding us with spiritual treasures in the next one. In addition, Romans 12:17-21 proclaim how persecution provides opportunities to repay our enemies' evil with God's good, which strengthens our witness for Christ and allows His light to brightly shine before others. Thus, God ensures our persecutions are not in vain by using them to prove our salvation, reward us spiritually, and draw the unsaved to Him.
Furthermore, the same God who turns our circumstances for good can also do the same for our sins. Many of us are painfully familiar with the excruciating struggles of habitual sin, especially the burdens of grieving and feeling separated from God. Fortunately, our heavenly Father not only desires us to overcome these sins and burdens but also uses them for teaching and spiritual growth. For example, 1 John 1:9 reminds us of His unconditional promise to provide forgiveness and cleansing from our sins when we genuinely confess them to Him. Also, 2 Corinthians 7:9-10 remind us the Holy Spirit uses our grief from sinning to righteously convict us and graciously lead us to repentance and a restored relationship with God. In addition, James 5:16 notes how confessing our sins to fellow believers helps us strengthen one another through fervent prayer and godly counsel. Although our trespasses will have consequences, we can always take courage knowing that no depth of sin and grief is too far from God's forgiveness and ability to turn our mistakes for good.
While we may see suffering, persecution, and sin as irredeemable experiences, our heavenly Father sees them as opportunities to use even our worst moments for our good. He graciously allows these negative experiences in our lives to further our spiritual growth, increase our dependence on Him, and enhance our ability to serve others through Him. By seeking and accepting His will in our circumstances, He replaces our self-centered definition of good with His perfect one, opening our eyes to His sovereign plans and the mighty works He is using to richly bless us with His best for our lives.
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