All Things

. . . predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will.

Ephesians 1:11

Not only does our Lord, through His overruling providence, work all things for our good (Romans 8:28), but He works all things according to the counsel of His will. His sovereign power can even transform our faults, failures, and mistakes into tapestries that bring Him glory. That doesn’t give us an allowance to sin, but it does invite us to bring our “goofs” to Jesus and place them under His blood.

One evening just before an outreach service, evangelist D. L. Moody lost his temper with a man who insulted him. Moody actually shoved the man. This meeting is killed, thought a friend. The [audience] will hardly be in a condition to be influenced by anything Mr. Moody may say tonight. But Moody rose with trembling voice, and his humble apology and tender confession so moved the crowd that the tide turned, and the meeting was touched with divine power.

This isn’t an excuse for losing our tempers, but isn’t it wonderful to know that our Lord works all things—even our faults—for good?

Our God is a God who not merely restores, but takes up our mistakes and follies into His plan for us and brings good out of them.

J. I. PACKER