All things work together…Romans 8:28
One of my favorite activities is going back and watching an entire TV series all over again. Though I already know what’s going to happen to the main character each season, I now have the advantage of watching to see how the main character’s decisions shaped the story line. I just finished watching again one of my favorite TV shows entitled JUSTIFIED, about a U.S. Marshal named Raylan who has a penchant for shooting and killing bad guys.
Raylan is sent back to his country hometown to work with the Marshals Service to stop the criminal activity of his childhood friend Boyd. Now, Boyd is a force of nature. A mix between the captivating preaching of Billy Sunday and the ruthless, lawlessness of Clyde Barrow. Boyd can whip up a crowd of followers one minute in the name of Jesus, and pull off a bank robbery, and put a bullet in the back of the head of a guy that betrayed him the next. Raylan and Boyd have their moments, but one pivotal moment when Raylan has to shoot Boyd becomes the difference of the entire series. From his hospital bed, Boyd realizes that though Raylan (his friend) shot him, Raylan intentionally spared his life. As it turns out, Boyd eventually becomes the leading figure that saved the town from being taken over by a ruthless oil company for the oil in them there hills.
As I reflect on the events of that TV series, and read the words of Paul the Apostle, I look back over my own life, and see clearly that of a truth… all things work together for the good. I couldn’t see how it all was working while I was in the midst of my tough times, but looking back on them as they have all passed, I see it all indeed worked together!
There are times when life seems cruel and ugly, and times when life appears to be the darkest night of uncertainty. In these times, we tend to make rash decisions to satisfy our need for immediate gratification. But I would suggest that we trust that God is busy working out His plans for a higher purpose. In other words, God is up to something bigger than you can see in this episode of your life!
Heavenly Father, grant me patience and faith through this painful experience. Let my decisions be the ground out of which a greater good comes forth. In Jesus name, AMEN.
PK