For all things
are for your sakes, so that the grace which is spreading to more and more
people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God. Therefore
we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man
is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for
us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 2 Corinthians 4:15-17
NASB
When I am tempted to complain about any situation I
remember that God uses all things and turns what was intended for evil to
good. This past week I misplaced my good
pair of sunglasses. After searching
everywhere I gave up the hunt. While in
my garage I turned over a small container on my workbench that scattered the
contents across the bench. Helpfully my
wife asked if I needed some small containers for the garage. As I grumbled about the fact that they would
just be something else to turn over and spill I happened to look at the space
where the cup had been. You guessed
it…my sunglasses. They were in a place I
would never have looked. Unseen
blessings.
I am a fan of the unseen blessing stories. I recently rediscovered this priceless tale.
The story is told of a king in Africa who had a close
friend with whom he grew up. The friend
had a habit of looking at every situation that ever occurred in his life
(positive or negative) and remarking, "This is good!"
One day the king and his friend were out on a hunting
expedition. The friend would load and
prepare the guns for the king. The friend
had apparently done something wrong in preparing one of the guns, for after
taking the gun from his friend, the king fired it and his thumb was blown off.
Examining the situation, the friend remarked as usual,
"This is good!"
To which the king replied, "No, this is not
good!" and proceeded to send his friend to jail.
About a year later the king was hunting in an area that
he should have known to stay clear of.
Cannibals captured him and took him to their village. They tied his hands, stacked some wood, set
up a stake and bound him to the stake.
As they came near to set fire to the wood, they noticed
that the king was missing a thumb. Being
superstitious, they never ate anyone who was less than whole. So untying the king, they sent him on his
way.
As he returned home he was reminded of the event that had
taken his thumb and felt remorse for his treatment of his friend. He went immediately to the jail to speak with
his friend.
"You were right," he said, "it was good
that my thumb was blown off." And
he proceeded to tell the friend all that had just happened. "And so, I am very sorry for sending you
to jail for so long. It was bad for me
to do this."
"No," his friend replied, “This is good!"
"What do you mean, "This is good"? How could it be good that I sent my friend to
jail for a year?"
"If I had not been in jail, I would have been with
you."
I’m
certain you get the point but it’s easy to forget when something happens that
inconveniences us or complicates our lives.
Maybe I can learn to say in the midst of all things, “This is good.”
Scripture to Claim:
Not that I speak
from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I
know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in
prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being
filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do
all things through Him who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:11-13 NASB
