Something Good from Something Bad

Tomorrow about this time I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. He shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have seen my people, because their cry has come to me. 1 Samuel 9:16

Not infrequently, my wife will turn to me and say something like this – Thank you for finding recovery. We often encounter those who are going through something like what we’ve been through, and it reminds us of our worst days. Ten years ago, life was pretty rough. I’d lost my job and perhaps my career. Our family was a mess, and my wife was wondering when the next relapse might come, thinking she may not want to stick around for it. Like I said, rough times. Ten years later, and though life isn’t perfect, it’s a far better than it was back then. I’ve got a great career in which I can help others who’ve struggled as I have. And my wife and I genuinely love each other, enjoying our empty nest together. It was impossible to see it back then, but in following God’s plan, instead of my own, he took something terrible and turned it into something wonderful. I often say that even though I’m not thankful for the pain I caused my wife, I wouldn’t go back and change it. Through my failures, God made us better than we were before.

Though it’s hard to believe while in the mess, God can transform our failures, making something very good out of something very bad. This is illustrated in today’s passage. In the story, though God desired that his people follow him as king, the Israelites demanded a human king. God allowed them to have what they wanted, even though it wasn’t his will. God then used this king – Saul – to deliver his people from the oppression of the Philistines. Despite Israel’s sin, God still used their evil for good when they cried out to him.

I’m not saying that God wanted me to use drugs so that he could work out his grand plan. When I stole and consumed drugs, that was not God’s will. I am saying that even though I did terrible things, when I turned to God, following his will instead of my own, he was able to take my disaster and transform it. Though God worked the miracle, it’s important to note that this didn’t happen until I repented, got sober, and followed him.

We will fail, but as long as we have breath, it’s not too late to do whatever it takes to repent and turn to God. In doing so, he can take something bad and make something good out of it.