"The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble." (Proverbs 16:4 ESV)
No doubt this verse can be a bit hard to digest. We all have dealt with many hardships and difficulties in this life that we wish didn’t exist. We all have faced choices and sacrifices that feel unfair, arbitrary, and unduly painful. We all, at one time or another, have been forced to stare at the chaos in front of us and wrestle with how it could possibly be meaningful or produce anything good.
Yet ingesting this verse and allowing it to reframe our understanding of life will supply us with what is necessary to endure seasons of darkness and mystery. God has made everything and nothing that He made lacks purpose. Though we cannot currently see how the sovereign threads of God’s design tie all things together for good, by faith we know they do. For God is perfectly loving and He weaves all things together for the good of His children.
This knowledge allows us to receive both the good and bad in life with a posture of hope and humility. Instead of simply seeking to escape discomfort, we can pause and process with God—knowing that in His hand great light dawns from the darkest of circumstances. We can be patient knowing that He cares for us and has promised to provide what is needed for our present problems.
This is not easy, but it leads to a life marked by peace. Knowing God holds all things and has made all things provides us an inexhaustible reason to be hopeful in all circumstances. As our clients tend to the various trials of life, may we help them see and live this truth. God has made all things for a purpose, including whatever today brings their way.
