Last Sunday before Sunday School, several of us were discussing our favorite movies. Since we had a mix of men and women, older and younger, the usual suspects came up – “chick” flicks, action/adventure, romance, suspense, some that make us cry and others that make us laugh.

One thing we talked about was how movies should end. Some said they like movies like A Perfect Storm and The Guardian that end emotionally incomplete. Most of us, however, said we like when there’s resolution.

We need for a movie to end where the good guy wins, the Marines come over the hill before the hero dies, the heart wrenching drama climaxes in an upbeat finale, where you can feel good about how things turn out. I guess that’s why they’re called “feel good” movies.

As with movies so also in life. We want to see bad things turn out for good. We want to know there is a positive result to the grief and heartache we or someone we care about experiences. We often feel the need for justice in an unjust situation, for vindication where there’s been malignment, for vengeance when we or they have been hurt.

If you’re like me, in life situations like these, I think, “It just has to be made right. God it’s up to you to do it. And soon would be great!”

This week I was reading II Thessalonians 1 in my quiet time and came across verses 4-7. They say, “therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure. This is a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God , for which indeed you are suffering. For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well . . .”

I thought, “That’s right, God needs to afflict those who have afflicted me and give relief from the affliction.”That may sound a little harsh but I would guess you have felt that way before. Maybe even now. I know I have experienced painful situations cause by others, some of which I didn’t deserve. It’s easy for me to wish God would right the wrong, restore my name and quickly remove the emotional scars.

Unfortunately verse 7 doesn’t stop where I ended the quote. The full verse reads, “and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire.” Sometimes He does work sooner but usually it’s later. I personally don’t want to wait that long. I want vindication, justice and vengeance now. It just doesn’t seem fair if it doesn’t happen quickly or even in my life time.How do we overcome this kind of feeling? Do we just pretend it’s not there? Do we take matters into our own hands (only to make things worse)?

I think the Apostle Peter in his first letter gives us some advice. He starts his letter by saying “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus , Galatia , Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia , . . .” (1:1)

As he penned this the Emperor Nero is actively persecuting Christians having accused them of setting the fire that burned Rome . Those who weren’t killed fled Rome and weren’t well received as they fan out across the empire.

In chapter 4 verse 19 he gives us something to wrestle with as we think about those things that can be so unfair. He writes, “Therefore, let those also who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.”

The first thing I must realize is that what happens to me is according to God’s plan. Even the bad and unfair situations.

Somehow it seems wrong to say that a loving Father would allow such injustice in the life of His child, but He does. God is not asleep, this didn’t take Him by surprise, He could change it, or even have stopped it, if He wanted. But He chose to allow it.

As the verse states, these things happen according to His will and He is faithful and only does what is right. I have come to realize (although I still often wrestle with it) there is a bigger picture, an eternal plan that is way above my pay grade.

Of course two names that come to mind in connection with unjust suffering are Job and Joseph.

Job was a godly man whom God allowed satan to afflict in the most severe way, taking his family (except his complaining wife), his wealth and his livelihood. He then had three “friends” stop by to add insult to injury by telling him how sinful he was and that this was God’s way of punishing him.

As a young man Joseph loved the Lord and sought to obey him. For living a committed life for the Lord he was sold as a slave by his brothers, falsely accused and thrown into a dungeon for over 10 years.

Both of these ended positively. Job had his family, fortune and reputation restored. Joseph was ultimately placed as the highest ruler in the land, second only to the Pharaoh.

Joseph’s words to his brothers, after the startling revelation that he was alive, are helpful to us as well. He said, GEN 50:20 “And as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result . . .” (Gen. 50:20)

Again it comes back to the fact that God is in control of all that comes into our lives, using it for His ultimate good and to accomplish His plan. Other people may mean it for evil but God has a specific result He desires both in our lives and in the lives of those around us.

With Job and Joseph we are able to see the positive resolution of the extreme difficulties they faced. Too often in our own lives this isn’t the case. We don’t get to see all God is accomplishing by the pain and sorrow He allows.

I know in my own life I don’t fully have a handle on all this. But the question the Lord keeps bringing me back to is, do I trust Him? Do I really believe He is in control, that He is good and faithful, that there will truly be an eternal benefit to what I am experiencing?

I still don’t like movies with sad, unresolved endings. But in my life I am more and more coming to realize and accept that there are seemingly impossible situations and people seem to get away with the pain they cause me and others I care about. But even in that God is at work. He has an eternal plan. It will be sorted out in the end and His justice will prevail.

Oswald Chambers has a good thought that goes along with this idea. You can find it at: http://www.rbc.org/devotionals/my-utmost-for-his-highest/03/07/devotion.aspx?year=2008

Remember, God is in control, He always has a plan and His plan is always good.
Mark