By: Laura Ackley
Verse of the week: “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today” (Genesis 50:20).
Extended Reading: Ephesians 2:1-6
John Piper wisely pointed out, “in every situation and every circumstance of your life, God is always doing a thousand different things that you cannot see and you do not know.”
God, by nature, is inserted into every scenario that we will ever face in life. He is intimately acquainted with the pits, the problems, and the pain that we experience. A circumstance might look bleak, yet when God steps in, the situation gets turned upside down. God gets the last word, and that is very good news for us.
To increase our love for the Lord by recognizing His intentional work in our lives, let’s explore four passages of Scripture where we find the powerful phrase, “but God.”
Let’s start with the foundation.
In Ephesians 2:1, it is recorded that we “were once dead in our trespasses and sins.” Every boundary that we could have crossed, we trespassed. Every mark we were supposed to hit, we fell short. We naturally followed “the desires of the flesh and of the mind.” We “were by nature children of wrath” (Eph. 2:3). If the painted picture in Ephesians 2 sounds like a desperate condition, it should. This is the reality of the human condition outside of relationship with Christ. But the bad news makes the good news infinitely sweeter. When we were helpless to save ourselves, God stepped into our situation.
But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ, by grace you have been saved” (Eph. 2:4-5).
Because God is altogether merciful and gracious, He stepped into our bleak situation. His great love propelled Him to the cross so that we could be saved, forgiven, and made alive in Him. This is the greatest “but God” action we could ever consider, and it is foundational to every other “but God” experience we have in our lives.
Secondly, let’s consider how God intercedes when we face the reality of physical death. The Psalmist wrote, “My flesh and my heart my fail” (Ps. 73:26). It’s true. We all wear out like grass. Our earthly bodies are riddled with infirmities, and we will eventually experience physical death. Then, God inserts Himself into our situation in a powerful way. The Psalmist continued, “but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Ps. 73:26). When we are in Christ, the deteriorating physical heart is no match for the One who is the strength of our spiritual hearts.
The New Living Translation words this reality beautifully. “For we know that that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands… (2 Cor. 5:1-4). We belong to our Savior, and after we perish, we will be raised imperishable where God is our treasure for all eternity in Heaven. God made everlasting life possible through Jesus (John 3:16).
What about our distress that doesn’t lead to physical death? Does God pay attention to that? Yes, in fact, He steps into our afflictions, conflicts, depression, mourning, and sorrows. A great illustration of this point is found in 2 Corinthians 7. Paul wrote, “for even when we came into Macedonia our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted on every side: conflicts without, fears within” (2 Cor. 7:5). Paul and his companions were exhausted, afflicted at every turn, conflict surrounded them, and fears troubled their hearts! What would God do? Was He too lofty to see or care?
Paul continued, “but God, who comforts the depressed, comforted us by the coming of Titus” (2 Cor. 7:6). God inserted Himself into Paul’s situation and provided comfort. He comforted by His Spirit, but also by sending physical help in response to their needs. He sent them an additional companion and worker who brought the encouraging news they needed to lift their spirits. Just in time. Likewise, the Lord responds to our lives in the same way. When we are hurting, we receive God’s comfort; “the Spirit helps us in our weakness” (Rom. 8:26). He steps into our situations, making all the difference.
The reality that God gets the last word in our suffering is seen clearly in the life of Joseph. His brothers hated him and ended up selling him into slavery and telling the family that he had been attacked by wild animals (Gen. 37). Yikes! While serving as a slave, he was accused of trying to sleep with his master’s wife and then unjustly thrown into prison. He sat in that prison for many years. Eventually, Pharaoh received word that Joseph could interpret dreams, and Pharaoh had need of a dream interpreter. Before Joseph knew it, God had freed him from prison and exalted him to the second highest position in Egypt. Due to his exaltation, Joseph was used by God to oversee the storing of grain throughout Egypt so that everyone, Joseph’s family included, could survive an extreme famine. God certainly had a good plan.
After surviving the famine and moving near Egypt, Joseph’s brothers became nervous that Joseph would retaliate against them for their wrongdoing. Joseph answered them, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today” (Gen. 50:20). Wow. The brothers absolutely meant harm, but God. God intimately worked in Joseph’s heartbreaking circumstances to accomplish great good. Numerous people lived through a devastating famine, including the family through which the Messiah would one day come.
Joseph’s account is one of the many reminders that God “works all things together for the good of those who love Him” (Rom. 8:28). We are called according to His purposes, and He is masterful at bringing good out of the worst of circumstances.
As we think about God’s involvement in our lives and how the “but God” phrase impacts believers, let’s be reminded of the second verse in the popular hymn, “His Eye Is on the Sparrow” by Civilla D. Martin.
“Let not your heart be troubled.
His tender word I hear,
And resting on His goodness,
I lose my doubt and fear.
Though by the path He leadeth,
But one step I may see:
His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.”
God is ever-present in our situations. He saw our need for salvation, and He intervened at great personal cost. He is acquainted with the frailty of our lives, and He made a way for us to live forever with Him. He sees our troubles, doubts, and circumstances, and He is faithful to step in and work all things for our good (Rom. 8:28). His eye is upon us, and He gets the last word in our circumstances. Come to Jesus. Remember that we serve a God with answers. In every circumstance, look to Him and remember “but God.”
Come to Jesus.