The Forgiveness Series – Article 6 of 71

God is present in every difficult situation we face. In Isaiah 45:7,9,11, we learn that the same God who forms the light and who brings prosperity also creates disaster. We must trust that God is in loving control of our lives, that He has a plan for us and that He will bring specific good out of every trial.

As we consider God’s sovereign goodness in every circumstance of a Christian’s life, it would not be uncommon for someone to ask, “What possible good could come from the sexual molestation of a child?” “What could ever be considered good about a father tragically drowning in a boating accident?” “Could any good come out of a situation where a wife has suffered at the hands of a raging, drunken husband, or worse yet, a husband who is not drunk?” Yet, God is able to bring about good in each one of these situations, in a way that may not be clear at first. Our goal, as we continue our discussion of biblical forgiveness, however, is to clarify this truth further.

God is present in every difficult situation that His children must face. He is up to great things in the midst of each circumstance. The writer of Isaiah 45:7,9,11 reiterates this pivotal truth: “I form the light and create darkness. I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things. Woe to him who quarrels with his Maker, to him who is but a potsherd among the potsherds on the ground. Does the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you making?’ This is what the Lord says—the Holy One of Israel, and its Maker: Concerning things to come, do you question Me about My children, or give Me orders about the work of My hands?”

We must pay careful attention to these verses. God is the one who is talking. Few Christians would argue with the first part of this passage that affirms God as the one who causes the sun to rise each morning and to set each evening. God goes on to tell us, “I bring prosperity.” This scripture confirms the fact that every good and perfect gift we receive comes from above. The next part of the first verse is what many Christians refuse to believe. “I create disaster.” The same God who forms the light, who creates the darkness and who brings prosperity, also creates disaster.

Verses 9 and 10 are wonderfully versatile. I often say to a disgruntled wife, “Woe to him who quarrels with his Maker…Does the clay say to the potter, ‘Why did you give me this husband?’ ‘Why did you give me these teenagers?’ ” God will not be challenged as to His plans for His children. He will not be given orders concerning the work of His hands. He reminds us in these verses that every good thing that we already have is in some way related to His grace. He tells us to trust Him because He knows what He is doing in the midst of this disaster.

He is there. Sometimes we cannot feel Him there, but He is there. His promise to us is that He is in charge.

He offers us this glorious reassurance in Zephaniah 3:17, “The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”

God is on His throne, and He will bring specific good out of every trial that we are going through.

Dr. Don Dunlap, a pioneer in the placement of Pastoral Counselors in the offices of Christian physicians, has conducted over twenty thousand appointments during his ministerial career. His counseling practice includes adults, children and families in crisis. Dr. Dunlap is committed to facilitating a network of telephone counselors. His goal is to provide help for the many people unable to meet face to face with a competent Bible-based counselor. For a complete library of Dr. Dunlap’s articles, indexed by topic, go to Family Counseling Ministries. You may also make a telephone appointment for personal counseling by clicking on Family Counseling Ministries. Family Counseling Ministries is a Christianity.com ministry Partner.