Can God Stop Evil

Could the Lord have stopped Joseph’s brothers from doing evil and selling him to the slavers?  Of course He could. In a heartbeat. But He didn’t. He intended to use that evil to bring incomprehensible good to Joseph and his brothers.
 
But at that moment of great evil, Joseph had to be on the verge of absolute despair. His situation appeared to be utterly hopeless.
 
Here’s an old poem about hopelessness from a man who knew about the sea. You and I may never experience this, but if you ever find yourself in a small ship in the midst of a great, angry ocean, you will understand why it can drive a sane man nearly out of his mind. In the darkness, deafening noise, and violence of that scene, a man will experience utter hopelessness and despair.
 
Unless he knows the Lord.

 Away, Despair!  My gracious Lord doth hear:
 Though winds and waves assault my keel,
 He doth preserve it: he doth steer,
 Ev’n when the boat seems most to reel:
 Storms are the triumph of his art:
 Well may he close his eyes, but not his heart.
                               —Pastor George Herbert

—Steve Farrar

Steve Farrar is the author of many books, including the best-sellers Point Man and Finishing Strong, with his new book Battle Ready: Be Strong and of Good Courage in These Troubled Times soon to be released. Learn more at SteveFarrar.com.