http://youtu.be/e8HgAVenbUU - Bring the Rain - Mercy Me
This morning as I sat down to prepare my morning devotional, I took just a moment to read a daily devotional I receive from Encouragement for Today - Proverbs 31 Ministries. Something about the devotionals from this site always seem to hit home for me. Last couple of weeks I've been "learning" a new job as parttime bookkeeper for the Trinity Valley Will Graham Celebration - part of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. The learning curve is stressing me out! For the last 20 years I've been in the mortgage industry and I know exactly what I'm doing when I'm working with mortgage loans. I hate not being comfortable with what I'm doing. But I'm getting there. Hopefully, I want make any horrible mistakes that cause other people more work. I'm praying alot. = )
As I read Lysa TerKeurst's morning blog, I felt her pain. Looking back over the years I can say for the most part, that God has used the "worst things" in my life to help me grow and become a better human being. Just like now with my new job, I hate the learning curve period. I wished I could just know what I'm supposed to do and do it with excellence! But I also realize that I tend to remember the lessons I learn during the tough times - they make a definite impression on my heart and mind. So, I'll keep plugging away and one day, I'll look back and say "that wasn't the worst thing at all".
I'm sharing Lysa's blog here today because she said it much better than I can. The surprises in life, the bumps in the road - those things never catch God off guard. He can take our worst days and use them for good. Joseph said it best when he spoke to his brothers who had sold him into slavery when he was just a young man. This young man had been treated horribly by his own older brothers. They sold him, and told his father that he was dead. That started a long difficult journey for Joseph. He served in Potiphar's house only to be accused on trying to rape Potiphar's wife; then he was thrown in to jail - unjustly, where he sat for 3 years. But God was working through the whole mess, developing in Joseph the character and qualities he would need to be second in command over all Egypt at just the right time. God used Joseph to save not only his family - the Israelites, but all of Egypt. God took something really bad and used it for good.
God does that for me, too. Sometimes I forget how long Joseph endured the struggles and challenges before he was made 2nd in command. I forget how God uses difficult times to mold us into someone He can use for His purpose - His perfect plan. I need to learn how to wait and to trust. God is control and He has a plan for me, for good and not evil; a plan to give me a hope and a future. I can trust Him completely.
Genesis 50:20 GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
Even though you planned evil against me, God planned good to come out of it. This was to keep many people alive, as he is doing now.
http://youtu.be/Xe4SckesWLE - this is the stuff - Francesca Battistelli
Here's Lysa's blog. I hope it makes you smile and gives you encouragement. It did that for me.
The Best Worst Thing
Lysa TerKeurst
“He replied, ‘You of little faith, why are you so afraid?’ Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.” Matthew 8:26 (NIV)
I failed at being a wedding planner.
No one wants a planner who gets so undone by the neurotic mother of the bride that she throws up in the parking lot right beside the guest sidewalk.
Really, nothing says, “welcome to my wedding” quite like that.
I failed at being a kitchen gadget saleswoman.
No one wants to see the tip of a thumb sliced off into the veggie pizza at the exact moment I was promising how safe this gadget is.
Awesome.
I failed at being a cafeteria lady at a private school.
My assistant decided her arms were so dry she needed to coat herself with our spray butter. When we took the trash out later that day, we both got attacked by bees and forgot about the pizza in the oven.
Kids don’t take kindly to burnt pizza.
I failed at being a receptionist.
It’s never a good idea to just succumb to those sleepy afternoon feelings and lay your head down on the desk.
Bosses don’t like workers who snore. Even if they are pregnant.
Yes, I failed at a lot during those years where I was trying to figure out what to do with my life. At the time each of these things felt like the worst that could have happened. Now, I think they were the best worst things.
Had these things been successful, I would have never discovered the joy of being in the ministry I’m in now.
I see this same theme woven throughout many stories in the Bible.
In Matthew 8:23-24 we find Jesus getting into a boat with His disciples. “Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat.” Worst thing.
But in verse 26 Jesus got up and rebuked the winds and waves and things turned completely calm. The disciples were amazed. Best worst thing.
In Acts 5:12 we find the apostles being arrested and thrown in jail. Worst thing.
But in Acts 5:13 we find an angel of the Lord opening the doors of the jail and bringing them out. Later we find them with so much confidence they boldly proclaim, “We must obey God rather than men!” (v. 29) Best worst thing.
I don’t understand why we have to go through cruddy stuff. And I certainly know there are many worse things to go through than what I’ve mentioned here.
We live in a broken world full of broken people. But isn’t it comforting to know God isn’t ever broken? He isn’t ever caught off guard, taken by surprise, or shocked by what happens next.
He can take our worst and add His best. We just have to make the choice to stay with Him and keep following Him through it all.
Dear Lord, I know You are capable of taking my worst and turning it into Your best. Show me this truth anew today. Refresh my spirit. I want to follow You through it all. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Related Resources:
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Application Steps:
We live in a broken world full of broken people. But isn’t it comforting to know God isn’t ever broken? Ponder the promises He has made in the Bible and how He has been faithful to you.
Reflections:
He can take our worst and add His best. We just have to make the choice to stay with Him and keep following Him through it all.
Power Verses:
Psalm 37:23, “If the Lord delights in a man’s way, he makes his steps firm.” (NIV)
Jeremiah 29:11, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” (NIV)
© 2011 by Lysa TerKeurst. All rights reserved.
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