“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” (Romans 8:28 NIV).
There are times in life when it is very hard to see what good God is doing especially when unexpected difficulties arise. How as a Christian can you find a way to handle it? It is kind of like when you go to the grocery store and grab a cart expecting to zoom through the aisles in record time, but then you realize that you have the one with the wobbly wheel. It is frustrating isn’t it? When it happens to me I’m too stubborn to take it back and get a new one. Then I go through the whole store fighting the wheel that’s going the wrong way and making a squeaking noise that all can hear. It is difficult to keep a joyful spirit also, since it is so annoying and you feel like everyone in the store is staring at you. I have to admit I end up talking to myself, “Wouldn’t you know it, I’m stuck with this noisy dumb cart that has a wobbly wheel. I can’t believe it. How unlucky can I be?” Does any of this sound familiar to you? It is very easy when you are thrown a wobbly wheel to complain and be irritated, and definitely not look for the good in all of it. But God expects us to behave differently when life throws us into problems.
In life our wobbly wheel could be an unexpected illness, death, foreclosure, losing a job, or any number of bad things. God has not promised us that our lives will always be rosy. So how as a Christian do you handle the problems that come into your life? God has promised that all things will work out together for good to those who love the Lord. It is a promise you must grab hold of when you feel that the rug has been pulled out from underneath you. You need to know that it is not about you, but how your faith in God during tough times can be a witness to those who do not believe.
God will work good through your problem, but you must trust Him and believe that He loves you and wants you to show others how faithful you can be in the midst of your difficulty. Believe Him and He will not fail you, and who knows how many other people might come to the Lord because of the way you handled your problem.
Dear Lord,
We know that life is full of difficulties and that you can work good through all of them. Help us to have faith in you during those times. Let us be a good witness to others even when it is hard for us to do.
Help us to continue to do your purpose always.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
