Bitter or Better?

"...we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him..." Romans 8:28 NIV

"...we can be sure that every detail of our lives of love for God is worked into something good." Romans 8:28 The Message

Do you ever wonder why some things happen? How come brain damaged babies are born...why children die of cancer...why abuse continues to happen to the most vulnerable...why people are starving....why floods, earthquakes and wars continue to devastate our planet? I wish I had an answer for you, but I don't. I ask myself the same questions, and I have often said, when I get to Heaven that's the first question I'm asking.

What I have learned is that no matter how devastating the event or circumstance is, God can and will make good come from it, if we trust in Him and love Him. He may use an illness to teach us the value of health, the compassion of caregiving, or the lesson of humility. He can take experiences of abuse, heal them, and then use them to help others in similar situations. He can rescue broken and battered marriages, resurrect them, and turn them into beautiful and peaceful families. I can say this with certainty because He has worked all of this good in my life, out of challenging and difficult experiences I lived through. Every day, my heart is grateful for all this amazing good that has come out of events that could have made me bitter, angry, resentful or miserable. Life events can make you bitter, or they can make you better....the key to making me "better" has been my faith in God.

Lord Jesus, help me to look for the challenges in my life that You have turned into good. Keep my heart grateful for these learning experiences and how You have used them to shape me into a woman after God's own heart. Let me look for ways to share these experiences with others so that I can shine Your light. Amen

Life Steps: Think of at least one very difficult time in your life. Turn it upside down and inside out, to see what good God worked with it. Think about what you learned, how it made you a better person, how you were able to help others as a result. Give thanks to God for these small miracles!