Through The Ringer

By

Phil Scovell

Although I was born in 1952, I can still remember watching Mom squeezing newly washed clothes through the hand cranked ringer. They pealed from the rollers flattened, squashed, almost unrecognizable, and then hung out to dry. Not much ever survived the ringer except the clothes. Hence the cliche: “Through the ringer.”

Nearly everyone has faced impossible situations and confessed: “I’ve really been through the ringer.” We mean, of course, we have been pressed, squeezed, pounded, flattened, hammered, mashed, pressed, steam rolled, dumped on, squashed, buried, or pulverized by something which has demanded a high price to endure. Sometimes, if negotiated successfully, we may brag of our accomplishments, but generally we weep. Often we fumble for an explanation to save face, dodge questions, or to soothe emotions. When all else fails, we plug in the old standby: And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28). This is perhaps the most misunderstood, certainly the most

misinterpreted, verse in all the Bible. Anything and everything can be easily, and conveniently dumped into the black hole of Romans 8:28 and never seen or heard from again. Since God has failed to answer prayer, change circumstances, or honor His Word, the quoting of it saves face. Such failure can be devastating, even destructive, especially to the Christian who claims to be walking in the Spirit. We, of all people, must have answers because we are led of the Holy Spirit. What if there simply isn’t any answer?

I know a pastor who had recently taken over a self supporting church that had a number of past problems. For months the pastor, along with the remaining leadership, had to deal with a multiplicity of problems. People began to leave because of both the new and old pastors. Relocation became necessary because the membership was dwindling and the landlord wanted to raise the rent. Personal problems began to make themselves known in people’s own lives. A strong stand was taken on the authority of God’s eternal Word which, of course, divided some and drew others. Demonic forces were released against the church through a member involved in the occult and rebellion began to be manifested in segments of the Body. Finally, the pastor decided to terminate his ministry and release the church.

For their final Sunday together, the pastor spoke from Romans 8:28 and explained how “all things work together for good.” This promise, he said, is not for just any Christian but rather for those walking in the Spirit through prayer, according to the two prier verses, (Romans 8:26-27). Additionally, “and we know that all things work together” targets those Christians faithful in harmonizing their prayers with that of the Holy Spirit as he “makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” If we are careful to examine Romans 8 in context, we discover that “There is now therefore no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit. Thus, those walking in the Spirit and taking up partnership with the intercessory prayers of the Holy Spirit, will not experience condemnation but will “know,” see with spiritual vision, that “all things” can, and will be, worked together by God for their benefit. This includes, of course, things good or bad, right or wrong, holy or unholy. This pastor was not suggesting, however, that God authors the bad – see James 1:12-17 – but will instead incorporate “all things” for the benefit of His own people. In another words, what the Devil means for evil, God will mean for good. Do not be concerned with how flat, how pulverized, how squeezed you may be. Wait upon the Lord through the intercessory ministry of the Holy Spirit in prayer, and as you are hung out to dry, remember the promise of Romans 8:28.

This particular pastor is totally blind with three children, all who see normally, and has been married for seventeen years. His wife is also totally blind. He now has no personal income, feels a sense of defeat and rejection, deep concern for his family, an awareness of loss and personal failure, and even wonders if he will ever be used by the Lord again. Yet he knows that Romans 8:28 is applicable to those who walk by faith and are submitted to the Heavenly Father who promises to work all things together for their benefit. How do I know he, this pastor, believes this? I am that pastor.

Although my wife and I have wept buckets of tears and struggled with turbulent emotions, we “know,” see with supernatural vision, that God has a plan. The pain is real, the guilt is real, and the fear is real and so is God. If you are suffering as we are at this very moment, be refreshed by taking up partnership with the Holy Spirit in prayer. Cry the tears of failure, experience the crushing devastation of the unknown, endure the bone splintering pain of rejection, but believe God. He will never leave or forsake you. If you will thus submit to the promise, and resultant power, of Romans 8:28, the Devil will confess, as you are put through the ringer, “He looks more like Jesus now than before!”

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