How Bad can Lead to Good

A few days ago, one of the post-abortive women was becoming very angry with us on the sidewalks, telling us we were self-righteous and judgmental. We hear that a lot.

I was not there for most of the discussion since I was on the pro-life mobile ultrasound RV. I was convincing a young man that to ask his girlfriend to kill the child she wanted to bear was wrong. In the end, he was convinced, and fell in love with his baby when he saw the heartbeat on the ultrasound. They were both so convicted by the Gospel message we always share, that both asked Jesus into their lives then and there. The couple was rejoicing over their new life of faith as well as their baby's life when they left.

As I came off the RV, I saw my fellow counselor in discussion with the angry woman. The woman had aborted 2-weeks ago and was at the abortion center for a check-up. My friend was trying to encourage her to take our post-abortive literature, since grief does grip many women later. The woman refused and was furious with us for being there at all. She said if we truly loved God like we said, we would not be there telling other people what to do.

"Do you believe in God?" I asked her.
"No," she said.
"Neither did I for 29 years," I said, "And I am someone who thinks deeply and likes to have rational reasons for my choices. I chose God. Faith was involved, but it was after a logical, reasoned examination of the evidence."
"Oh!" She nodded and calmed instantly. Suddenly she was interested. I had her attention because I could speak as someone who had been in her shoes. I had been an atheist. I knew what it was to doubt God existed at all.

I have often wished I could have a rewind of all those years of living without God. If only I had known God intimately, might all the terrible sins of my past not have occurred? I don't know. What I do know is that because of all the struggle, I could relate and speak knowledgably about what it was like to live without God in contrast with what it was like to live with Him.

And she was willing to listen. I led her through my own thought processes of how I came to faith first in God, then in a personal savior, Jesus. Then how loving Jesus and all He did for us, and believing He warns us that anyone who doesn't know Him and follow Him is going to Hell. Then about believing we must obey His commands, and knowing those who ignore His commands will be terribly hurt, and without faith, ultimately destroyed. Then how we felt a compelling obligation to speak of our reasons for hope and salvation.

"If you saw a two year old playing in the street, even a stranger, and a car was coming, what would you do?" I asked her when I finished my spiel.
"I would get her out of the street, out of danger!" the woman said.
"That's why we are here."

She had to leave then, but I know she was at least thinking about all we'd said. And she was no longer angry.

It would have been wonderful to have known Jesus from my youth. However, God does indeed work all things for good, and even my sin and my faithless past can be used by Him. That gives me hope.
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Romans 8:28

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.