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Good morning!

“If we let fear and doubts and a preoccupation with the presence of evil take over our minds, we block the power of God from entering the situation. We must learn to see evil in the right perspective - subject to the mighty power of God - and then let that power work out everything for our good according to God’s perfect plan.” -Merlin Carothers, Power in Praise

Most of us can list so many things that are evil and fearful in the world, no matter what time period we look at. Sometimes we think our present age is the worst it’s ever been. Maybe so and maybe not. However, looking back at history, there is a plethora of evils that have always been around. The evils can pull our focus and our minds into fear and often fill people with doubt about God.

Our idea of resisting evil is to react in the same way evil is doled out…using force against force. “Anytime our action is prompted by the evil circumstances surrounding us rather than by our faith in God’s power and perfect control of the situation, we’re allowing evil to control us, rather than overcoming evil with the power of God.” 

Is it possible that God could be using ALL things, including evil, to bring about His perfect plan? That is very hard for our human minds to accept because we label things as good or bad based on how we feel. What if because of God’s desire that ALL people know Him and spend eternity with Him, He allowed things that would cause more opportunities for that to happen?

In this message, as I write, I am acutely aware of the pain you might have endured and it might be so incredibly hard to imagine that God allowed it. How can that be, you ask? If God loves me, how could He allow the pain or evil to continue? 

I don’t have all the answers but one thought that is always in my mind is that life is not just the here and now. In fact, eternity is far beyond my capacity to comprehend. But, at the very least, I can see that our time on earth is nothing compared to our time in eternity. Because of that, I would dare to imagine that God knows exactly how to bring us to attention, to show us His presence, to give us opportunities to know Him. And if that’s what it takes so that more people live eternally with Him, then to me it seems worth the cost.

God’s thoughts are not our thoughts. His ways are not our ways. But if He knew that the cost for saving us meant allowing evil to kill His only Son, then I know we can trust His plan to work all things for our good. He doesn’t waste anything.  His Son, God Himself, overcame evil for us by His resurrection. 

“.....Jesus made a public spectacle of all the powers and principalities of darkness, stripping away from them every weapon and all their spiritual authority and power to accuse us. And by the power of the cross, Jesus led them around as prisoners in a procession of triumph. He was not their prisoner; they were His!” Colossians 2:15 TPT

Our job is to have faith that God will make all things right in the end. Learn not to rely on our own understanding, which is severely limited, and know that He is still in control. Let go of reasoning which is so compromised by our lack of insight. Let God flow into every situation, focusing on Him and His divine power.