Q: What’s God’s purpose when everything goes wrong?

A: Frank Sinatra once sang, “That’s life; that’s what all the people say. You’re riding high in April, shot down in May.” George of the jungle never seems to be watching out for that tree, and neither are we. Like it or not, a wicked world will hit us from time to time. When it feels like we’re being hammered on, God can actually be using those experiences to accomplish great things in our life.

Peter wrote that believers come to Jesus as living stones rejected by this world but precious to God. (See 1Pet 2:4‑8.) We’re being built up as a spiritual house of praise to God, with Jesus as the cornerstone who was originally rejected. (See Psa 118:22.) This all becomes relatable when we examine how the stones were cut for Solomon’s Temple. 1 Kings 6:7 reports that “the house, while it was being built, was built of stone prepared at the quarry, and there was neither hammer nor any iron tool heard in the house while it was being built.”

That quarry is the area of Golgotha where Christ, who is the chief cornerstone, was crucified. It is also where all the stones were cut and chiseled to fit in that glorious temple. Once they were all hammered on and shaped at the quarry, they were moved up to the place of praise on Temple Mount.

That’s what is happening to us here on earth. This unfair world is like that quarry and we often feel like we’re getting pounded for no good reason. God is actually chiseling away on us here, in preparation for the place of praise in heaven. Someone you can’t stand in church might be planted right there by God for your benefit. Your cranky boss, neurotic neighbors, or even your spouse could be used to reveal attitudes that need to be given over to God for change. He’s chipping away at your rough edges in preparation for the place of praise.

There won’t be any personality flaws in heaven. No need for hammering once we’re there. In life we often find a discrepancy between our expectancy and reality. God is usually performing the unexpected in ways we did not count on. Nobody enjoys hard times, but we grow as we go through them. God is chiseling our rough edges down here, so we’ll be ready for the ultimate place of praise.

You may want to note that beginning January 8, Calvary Corner will be heard on KGCB 90.9 FM radio at 4:50 p.m. each weekday afternoon. This station covers much of Arizona, so we hope you’ll tune in.

Romans 8:29