I've written about the evils of stink bugs before.
Unmatched in their sinister intent on destroying mankind, these agents of Satan have been reeking havoc in southern New Jersey without any end in sight.
Sure, during the cold winter months, many would have thought that the stinkers would be in hibernation and thus the threat nullified.
Unfortunately, when the Christmas decorations were fetched from the attic, piles and piles of the stinkers were awakened from their long winter's nap to wonder at their good fortune that the warmth of spring had come so early. Many holiday stink bug sightings occurred over the yuletide season.
And yet, their menace is even worse than expected.
On no less than 5 occassions, I have awakened in the middle of the night to have stink bugs on me.
On me.
Have you ever awakened in the middle of the night with a stink bug crawling on your arm? Your neck? Your FACE? Because I have. Five times.
Nothing gets the middle of the night adrenaline pumping like having a stink bug crawling on your cheek.
These nasty things have even followed me to work and to Florida.
The continuing stink bug menace reminds us that God never promised that the Christian life would be easy, perfect or utopian.
We often like to cite Romans 8:28: "For we know that in ALL THINGS GOD WORKS for the GOOD of those who have been called according to HIS purpose" as a security blanket of name it and claim it faith wrapped around our shoulders.
And to a large extent it is. It's just our fallen perspective that misses the point sometimes.
Pastor Steven Furtick, writing in his awesome book SUN STAND STILL, points out that in these verses a little perspective is needed, and that God is talking "not necessarily [about] your momentary happiness. But your ultimate good."
The ultimate good might require some discomfort. The disciples should tell us that. They experienced unparalleled power of the Holy Spirit in their lives and saw and participated in some AWESOME movements of God's power. They experienced firsthand the truth in Psalm 62:11-12: "You, Oh God, are strong" and "You, oh God, are loving."
God is good and God is great.
And yet, those same disciples saw massive persecution. Jailings. Beatings beyond mercy. Betrayals on a grand scale by stranger and friend a like. Suffering. Loss. Sacrifice. And to most of them, execution for their faith.
Stink bugs exist. Stink bugs stink. But God is bigger and He alone sees the whole picture of our life and the ultimate good for our well-being.
It could well be that those stink bugs are being permitted to invade your space (and sleep) for an ultimate good that you can't comprehend just yet in your mortal infancy.
God doesn't promise perfection and ease. He promises purpose, power and the best.
So come stink bugs. Do your worst. My God is bigger than you.
