God Truly Works for Our Good

Genesis 29:16-28 (click on text to read reference)

When trials come our way, we often hear quoted, "We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him" (Romans 8:28), and if we are to be completely honest, sometimes our reaction is, "Yeah, right... not this time!" When storms hit hard, it is easy to begin doubting these promises in the Word, but it is during these times we must hold dear to all that Christ is!

Jacob's entire marriage to Leah was because of deception, a sham. The sins of another man forced Jacob into it. Yet because of Jacob and Leah's marriage, Judah was born (Gen 29:35), and from the lineage of Judah was King David (a man after God's own heart and great ruler of Israel) and ultimately Jesus Christ.

No matter how hard Satan tries to harm us, or actually succeeds in destroying our hopes and dreams, God is never removed from the throne. God writes the end of the story. If Jacob never married Leah, the Messiah would not have come through his lineage. Lineage was so important to the Israelites and God could not have blessed or honored Jacob more than by allowing the Son of God to be his descendant.

The fact is that we live in a fallen world. Satan longs “to kill, to steal, and to destroy” yet we must remember the end of that verse, Jesus says, “but I have come to give life, and life to the full” (John 10:10). God is sovereign. God is good. He loves you and we must choose to believe this truth: God, in His great mercy and unfathomable wisdom, is walking with us through these circumstances. We may never know or understand the trial, but we can know and understand our Savior. We too will one day say as Joseph (Judah's brother) said, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done" (Gen 50:20).