By Paul Chappell
"And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the
place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto
good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Now
therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he
comforted them, and spake kindly unto them."
Genesis 50:19-21
Samuel Bringle was a worker with the Salvation Army in Boston many years ago. As
he passed by a saloon, some men threw a brick at his head. Their aim was good,
and Bringle nearly died. As it was, he spent eighteen months in recovery.
During that time he wrote a little book entitled Helps to Holiness. Thousands
of copies were published. After he was able to begin preaching again, people
would often thank him for the book. He would respond by saying, "If there
had been no little brick, there had been no little book." His wife saved
the brick and had Genesis 50:20 engraved on it.
The difference between people who trust God even through
difficult times and trials and those who do not is found in the way they view
those trials. Godly Christians have the same problems, heartbreaks and even
tragedies as everyone else. They are not somehow exempt from suffering. But
they view their difficult circumstances through the lens of an understanding of
God’s love and purpose for their lives.
One preacher said it well, "The only thing an enemy can
do to you is to be the unwitting instrument of God’s plan for your life."
Of course many things happen that are painful and hard for us to endure. Yet
those circumstances do not mean God has forgotten or forsaken us. He makes
"all things work together for good" (Romans 8:28). This helps us
understand that even the most difficult things we experience are a necessary
part of His plan.
Today's Rooted Principle:
View your problems and difficulties as something God can and
will use to make you a better servant for Him.
No comments:
Post a Comment