Sometimes in life, it feels as if we are powerless, and that forces of evil are arrayed against us in such force and power that there can be no happy ending. In fact, it seems like watching many TV shows or movies these days, life is simply one big bummer, with evil and distress the lot of all. Perhaps there is a reason why so many fall into depression and dismay psychologically.
Well, the truth is that there is in fact an evil force at work in the world. And, that force does have a mindful purpose. The good news is that there is “more than one power at work” in the world.
Early in January, I started re-reading The Lord of the Rings. It has been a few years since I last read it, lastly to Brynn who, as the youngest, needed to read it before I would allow her to watch the movies. I read it to all 3 of my daughters this way, and it is a joyful memory….at least to me. If you are a frequent reader of my blog, you know how much I love Tolkien. His friendship with one of my other favorites, C.S. Lewis, is near-legendary, and the two of them have done so much for good in the world during the 20th century.
Early in the written story, the wizard Gandalf (actually an angel in disguise come to help guide the inhabitants of Middle Earth to a victorious conclusion in the struggle with evil) is warning the hobbit Frodo about the perils of the “magic ring” that he possesses. In the story, Gandalf explains to Frodo that the ring carries within itself a sort of existence, a power in and of itself, that comes from its maker—the “Satan” figure of the story, Sauron (though Tolkien scholars know that the real satanic figure is Melkor…and Sauron is merely the chief lieutenant of the evil one). So, as Gandalf explains, the ring is trying to get back to Sauron, and the two of them seem to be using both of their wills to reunite. Thus, at a crucial moment in the story, the ring leaves its current carrier, the creature Gollum. And Tolkien is clear that it was the ring that left Gollum, rather than Gollum losing the ring.
Frodo, only barely grasping the point, then speaks in amazement that the ring must have made a mistake coming to his uncle Bilbo. Bilbo, the hero of Tolkien’s first writing, The Hobbit, found the ring in the dark caves under the mountains. Frodo, speaking to Gandalf, then says that the ring should have gone to another evil creature of Sauron, thus more easily becoming reunited. Gandalf answers him thus:
It is no laughing matter, not for you. It was the strangest event in the whole history of the Ring so far; Bilbo’s arrival just at that time, and putting his hand on it, blindly, in the dark. There was more than one power at work, Frodo. The Ring was trying to get back to its master….so now, when its master was awake once more…it abandoned Gollum. Only, to be picked up by the most unlikely person imaginable: Bilbo from the Shire. Behind that there was something else at work, beyond any design of the Ring-maker. I can put it no plainer than by saying that Bilbo was meant to find the Ring, and not by its maker. In which case you also were meant to have it. And that may be an encouraging thought.
Tolkien does not fully explain this other power here, but he does in other writings, in particular The Silmarillion. There, Tolkien explains about the creation of the world by the Christian God character in his writings, Eru. Eru cannot simply come into the world and make it all better, but he can use his power to impact the story.
This is, I believe, one of the reasons that America and Europe have become so post-Christian in its culture. The idea that God is moving beyond our control, allowing certain things to happen or even directing other things to happen bothers us. It speaks to the fact that we are not in control, not fully.
Do realize I don’t mean that we have no free will. God is clear on this point as well; it is one of the ways that He has limited Himself in that He has not taken away your free will. He allows Himself to be bound in this way, lest it ever become such that He had to force us to Him. Tolkien speaks of this idea as well when Frodo complains that the ring should have just been cast away, that Gandalf should have warned him and then he, Frodo, would have thrown it out. Gandalf challenges him, saying that Frodo would not be able to do it. So challenged, the little hobbit tries, but to no avail. As he was attempting to merely toss it to the ground, to his surprise, his hand merely put the ring of power back into his pocket.
Gandalf then says “You see? Already you too, Frodo, cannot easily lt it go, nor will to damage it. And I could not “make” you–except by force, which would break your mind.” God is similarly bound…and He does not wish to break our minds or turn us into robots. Thus, we keep our free will. But even with our free will, God is at work in the world and often allows or directs things to happen that then alter our course. And we don’t like it.
The fact that God does move in our world is unmistakeable. He lives. He moves. He has will and purpose. And so while you may perceive things that happen in your life as only events of evil or chance, at times there is a much deeper purpose going on. Frodo perceived having the ring as an ill chance. He later says clearly that he wished the ring hadn’t come to him, nor that great evil had arisen in his own time. But Gandalf is pointing out that we must continue to remember that there is a Great Power in the world than the evil one, and He moves events to be for good.
So, let me leave you with God’s own words on this point. God causes all things to work together for the good of those who love God and are the called according to His purpose. As Tolkien wrote, that is “an encouraging thought.”