--- From my Daily Devotion for Saturday ---
Did you know that what starts as a curse can end as a blessing? When the Mexican boll weevil devastated the southeast Alabama cotton crop, farmers reverted to planting peanuts and ended up producing more than any country in the nation. Consequently the town of Rucker erected a monument bearing this inscription, "In profound appreciation of the boll weevil and what it has done as the herald of prosperity."
When Jesus discovered Lazarus was sick he didn't respond till after he'd been dead four days. But because Jesus was waiting didn't mean He wasn't working. He chose to demonstrate His resurrecting power - to prove that nothing's too hard for God. Joseph was falsely imprisoned for 13 years. But God was with him and he went on to save multitudes, including his family who'd mistreated him. Joseph's struggles made him better, not bitter. But it could have ended differently if he hadn't maintained the right attitude. God used Esther to save her people, but first he put her in the position of living where she didn't want to live and doing what she didn't want to do. Even though a widow, Ruth ended up gleaning in a field where she met and married a wealthy man named Boaz. In addition to bearing him children, she became part of Jesus' ancestral bloodline. So if you're struggling to see God's purpose in your suffering today, rest assured He has one. After feeding a multitude Jesus told His disciples, "Gather the leftovers so nothing is wasted." In God's kingdom nothing is ever lost. When you trust Him, he makes "all things work together for good"
(Romans 8:28) "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
--- My Comments ---
Our struggles can make us better but only if we maintain the right attitude and keep focused on what God is trying to show us. "See God's purpose in your suffering." God will turn it around and use it for good. So often we loose patience and hope with waiting, but God has a specific plan for us that he is building up over time. Sometimes it may be a plan that takes years, but rest assured he is working in your life, and also in the lives of others through you.
