The can and the will of God

So I recently was involved in a discussion which centered around churches and their poor decisions which lead to bad circumstances and embarrassing situations. The situations which make the church and the people of the church look bad in the eyes of the very community they are trying to reach. Looking “bad” might be a generous term. Looking like idiots, megalomaniacs, fools, money grubbing charlatans, or just plain old jerks might be more accurate, but you get the point. 

In these situations and out of these circumstances there is always an overflow of pain and hurt, a sense of betrayal, a loss of family and friendship, a sense of aloneness. Churches are made of of people, people make bad choices, which lead to bad situations, and people get hurt when these things happen. 

But, I had this thought - can God redeem these circumstances? Can God take all of this mess and pain and hurt and make something good out of it? Can God take my bad choices and the bad choices others make and bring good from the bad? 

I have to believe the answer is yes. Not a simplistic yes, but an absolute, like the Law of Gravity yes. God absolutely can redeem the evil that people work. He can redeem the pain and the hurt. He can take it and bring wonderful good out of it. Because if He cannot, then I am doomed in my worship of a weak god who can be conquered by the will of mere mortal men.  

Therefore, since I believe He can, it becomes a matter of the will of God - will He redeem these circumstances? I will be honest and say that this is where I struggle the most these days. I have come to this place - I must believe God will redeem all of this mess, all of the bad choices, all of the pain, all of the doubt, all of the fears, all of the hurt, all of the bitterness, all of shame - He will make good from it somehow. Because if He will not - then I am truly without hope. And when we lose hope, we perish. So I will believe, and hope, and live.