Cowboy Movies and God

Guys love cowboy movies. One of my favorite westerns is “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly”. In westerns, heroes endure unbelievable hardship, face overwhelming odds, yet come out on top.

If only life were that simple, with a proven outcome assured! But it isn’t. Oftentimes as we grow in our walk with Christ we encounter “the good, the bad, and the ugly”. The challenging circumstances we encounter just aren’t as obvious as a bad guy wearing a six-shooter!

When things go wrong, we are quick to say, “This shouldn’t happen,” or “Where is God in all of this?” And I get that. For months, I’ve been wrestling with something deeply painful that shouldn’t have happened to me. But through this situation, God has been working to refine me and teach me to trust Him with the outcome. I have been able to picture a strainer Linda uses to wash vegetables. This strainer allows her to wash vegetables clean of dirt, leaving behind clean veggies to cook.

Likewise, God uses the filter of “the good, the bad, and the ugly” to refine us. Everything that happens in our lives—BOTH good and bad– is filtered through the hand of God. And it is for His glory and our good. Romans 8:28 AMP says it best,

“And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose.

We see this clearest in the story of Job. Satan did not have overall control of the situation with Job– God ALLOWED it. God placed limits on the harm Satan could inflict upon Job. While I don’t know what trial you currently face, I do know God is “not asleep at the wheel.” A verse to cling to in these times is Proverbs 3:5-6:

Trust in and rely confidently on the Lord with all your heart And do not rely on your own insight (or understanding). In all your ways know and acknowledge and recognize Him, And He will make your paths straight and smooth [removing obstacles that block your way].