Last week, Shannon and I were on vacation. I had a long list of chores to accomplish. Most of them involved a tractor, which is God’s greatest invention.
Unfortunately, my well thought out plans didn’t happen quite the way I wanted because of the pouring rains. Realizing the pastures were too wet to use a tractor, I complained to Shannon about wasting precious vacation days because of the rain – in the summer – in mid July – when it never rains – when I’ve always wished it would.
This got me thinking.
Rain in July, when the super-heated days of August are right around the corner, is a tremendous blessing that will help the pastures thrive in the midst of the coming inferno. But for me, because I was momentarily inconvenienced, I saw this tremendous blessing as a curse. I do this a lot.
Most of the time, I have a very shortsighted perspective on life, which is the exact opposite of the Christian view.
Christians understand momentary problems happen all the time but God is working with them, through them, and using them to bring about God’s purpose. The Bible is full of examples.
Early in Joseph’s life, his brothers stripped him of his beautiful robe, savagely beat him, and callously sold him into slavery. His brothers made his life a nightmare but Joseph did not lose sight of the fact that, even if he couldn’t see God’s at that moment, he knew God was always an active presence in his life.
Decades later, after rising in power to become the second most powerful man on the planet, and saving his family from starvation, Joseph’s brothers come to him for forgiveness. Joseph said, “Don’t be afraid. Am I God? You planned something bad for me, but God produced something good from it, in order to save the lives of many people, just as he’s doing today.“(Genesis 50:19-20)
That’s the long perspective. It’s the Christian view.
Today, you will experience good and also bad. Know that God is actively working in your life to bring good. That’s what God always does because we have a good God.
Prayer: Dear Gracious Heavenly God, in those moments when I experience the hard side of life, remind me of your good presence. Help me trust when I cannot see. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
The storms of life always come. God is bigger than the storms.
I pray your day is filled with joy and laughter.
Tom Robbins
Daily Devotionals by Dr. Tom Robbins 