Q077_033026 Rom. 5:3 We've Been Given An Inside View Of Everything That's Happening To UsQ077_033026 Rom. 5:3 We've Been Given An Inside View Of Everything That's Happening To Us
How it Happens with Colin Cook
Colin Cook reflects on Romans 5 and the story of Joseph to show a faith-based way of viewing suffering, addiction, and tribulations. The episode suggests that Christ’s victory means God can bring good out of even the most painful events.
14:38•30 Mar 2026
Finding Meaning in Tribulations: Faith, Addiction, and the Story of Joseph
Episode Overview
- Faith in Christ means freedom from God’s wrath and access to God’s grace rather than being handed over to sin.
- Rejoicing in tribulations is rooted in trust that Jesus holds all things together and rules over every event.
- The story of Joseph shows how betrayal and suffering can be used by God to preserve life and bring good.
- There are always two wills at work: human or demonic intentions for harm, and God’s will to turn that harm toward blessing.
- Praising God in hardship is based on Christ’s real victory over evil, not on psychological tricks to feel better.
“"But as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring it about, as it is this day, to save many people alive."”
Curious about how others manage their sobriety journey while wrestling with questions of suffering and faith? This instalment of *How it Happens with Colin Cook* centres on Romans Chapter 5 and speaks directly to people dealing with addictions like alcohol, drugs, food, sex, or obsessive worry, who also want to understand what their pain might mean in light of the Gospel.
Colin unpacks what it means to be "freed from wrath" and how faith in Christ changes the way you see every hardship.
The heart of the conversation is simple but challenging: Jesus holds all things together and has all authority, so "when something bad happens, his dominion is in control of it" and he can "turn it and spin it around so that its effects come out to our blessing." To make this real, Colin walks through the story of Joseph, the teenager betrayed by his brothers and sold into slavery, yet later able to say, "But as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good." Colin stresses that praising God in trouble isn’t a psychological trick to feel better; it’s a response to a deeper reality that Christ’s victory over evil means there are always two wills at work: human or demonic intentions for harm, and God’s will to bring good out of that harm.
He explains that Christ was "handed over" to the powers of evil instead of us, and because of his death and resurrection, "we are drawn near into the throne room of God" and "stand firmly and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God." For anyone who’s ever wondered how you could possibly rejoice in tribulations, this episode tackles that tension head-on.
For people in recovery who feel overwhelmed by setbacks and shame, this perspective offers a way to see suffering as part of a bigger story of mercy and eventual restoration. If you’ve ever asked whether anything good could come from your worst decisions and darkest seasons, this episode might give you a fresh angle on your journey.
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