Everything That Befalls Us Will Serve God’s Redemptive Purpose

Within a week from each other, two unrelated articles appeared in science journals, but both sharing a common theme.

Anticoagulant Discovery

One article described a possible medical breakthrough in treating hypertension, heart failure, kidney disease, and burns. An international team of researchers sponsored by the University of Queensland discovered a fast-acting anticoagulant peptide. This peptide causes constricted capillaries to open, allowing the free flow of blood. And it achieves this without any adverse side effects.

What is the source of this promising wonder drug? It’s derived from the venom-filled saliva of the common vampire bat. Yes, this demon of the night could hold the cure to some of humanity’s greatest killers.

Cancer Fighting Progress

A second article relates to cancer research. It explains that the cause of many cancers stems from the overproduction of certain proteins in the cell. These proteins actually do damage to our DNA. They cause mutations in our genetic code. And when a number of these mutations accumulate within a human cell, it can morph into a cancer cell.

Therefore, it has become imperative within cancer research to identify those proteins which tend to do damage to a cell’s DNA. Researchers have had particular success identifying such proteins—284 of them to date. But identifying the cancer-causing proteins hasn’t been achieved by examining human cells. The team of researchers from Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Texas at Austin found that a certain strain of bacteria was far more useful in this task.

And guess which strain of bacteria proved to be so helpful in their research? It was Escherichia coli, i.e., E. coli—the strain of bacteria that has proved so deadly to people.

Redeeming The Evil Things

Again and again science is proving that things which we have long condemned as evil, can benefit humanity immensely. They are not the wicked and unredeemable things we once believed them to be.

Should that be so hard for disciples of Jesus to believe? Hasn’t God been telling us in His word that He can turn our curses into blessings (Deuteronomy 23:5)? Didn’t the Psalmist testify, “It was good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn to keep Your statutes” (Psalm 119:67, 71)? Can’t God work all things together for our ultimate good, even the things that are unpleasant and painful (Romans 8:28)? The apostle Paul and James both testified that painful tribulation produces in us perseverance and the full array of Christ-like virtues (Romans 5:3-5; James 1:3).

Even when people intend to do us harm, can’t God somehow turn it around so that their evil produces a blessing? That was Joseph’s testimony to his brothers who had abused him, disowned him, and sold him into slavery and imprisonment. He told them, “What you intended for evil, God intended for good” (Gen. 50:20).

Yes, there are many evils in the world. Yet, if God wasn’t able to bring about something good and redemptive through them, He wouldn’t allow them to exist. As difficult as it may be for us to accept, those painful and bitter things can serve God’s purpose. Our part is to keep our focus and our faith fixed upon Jesus (Hebrews 12:1–3). When we suffer, we must remember Him and how He suffered. But also remember how God raised Him from death and glorified Him in heaven (Phil. 2:5–11). That same glorious exaltation awaits all who remain true to Jesus Christ. If we suffer with Him we shall also be glorified with Him (Rom. 8:17).

PRAYER:

Dear Father in heaven, remind me again and again of Jesus’ sufferings. Help me to consider how Christ endured such wicked hostility from sinners, lest I grow discouraged and faithless. Reveal to me, O God, the glory, joy, and healing that awaits me in heaven, when You shall wipe every tear from my eyes. Amen.