A spiritual “garbage disposal” is how many view the scripture:
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”(Romans 8:28 ESV)
If THEY can’t explain what is happening, or what just happened, the experience is filed in the “Romans 8:28” folder.
Never to be opened again.
Maybe there’s another interpretation? Maybe there’s a different way to view this revelation from God? I believe there is.
Maybe it could be explained in light of another passage: “And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son.” (Genesis 22:13 ESV)
God told Abraham to take his only son and offer him as a sacrifice to God. Abraham was moments away from the blow that would end Isaac’s life. But while Abraham was demonstrating his love and obedience to God, God was working all things together for Abraham’s good! God was doing things Abraham couldn’t see, but could believe (Hebrews 11:17-19). The ram caught in the thicket was God working all things…
Can you dare to imagine what God may be doing in and around your life? WILL you dare to believe God is PRESENTLY working on your behalf? He knows what He has called you to do. He knows the impact your life has, and even CAN have, on those around you AND those you haven’t yet met.
The Spirit of God helps us in our weakness because we don’t always know how to pray (see Romans 8:26,27). One reason we don’t know how to pray is because we don’t see everything! But God helps us, because He sees, He knows, so He can work!
He’s not our cleanup guy, our garbage collector. He’s not attempting to sneak something past us! He IS working. And WE are workers together (1 Corinthians 3). We work AND He works…(Philippians 2:12,13)
…for our good and the good of the Kingdom of God!
Abraham didn’t act surprised to see the ram in the thicket. He KNEW God was working. We need to know it, as well.
It’s time to use the garbage disposal for garbage ONLY. Bad things are bad things. Call them bad. And don’t blame God. He isn’t the only spiritual force at work. The devil is the one who steals, kills, and destroys! But in spite of the bad, God still has a way of turning bad things around. THAT’S God working all things for good.
We’ve all gone through bad things. We may be in a bad situation now. But God is good, working good. And good overcomes bad (Romans 12:21).
Next time you use the garbage disposal remind yourself God is working FOR you, FOR your good, FOR all eternity. And keep His works out of your disposal.
Jan Grace 