Friday, October 23, 2020 Submitted by Van Houser
And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
A Parable about Perspective
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." said his friend with a sigh of relief.
A Truth Expanded…“Wait On It!”
Sometimes in life we find ourselves viewing an event, circumstance, or occurrence with a strong opinion as to its positive or negative impact on our lives. The truth is, all things are connected not only to a past, but to a future which interprets the value of the past. Some things which may seem disastrous are merely preparatory lessons for a future challenge or opportunity to be a blessing to the lives of others.
A mother is cooking, and the child wants to taste it NOW! A father is heating a piece of metal to form it and others are in a hurry to see the product. To know the value or reason for some things, we just have to “Wait on it!”
In looking back at an unhappy or difficult childhood, many have come to realize how those difficulties actually were a part of helping them deal with life today and create the attitude necessary to be successful. Some have seen a financial windfall and said, “This is good” only to see the wealth become the very curse of their family. Others have watched as other seeming curses became overwhelming blessings.
What will certainly make an event bad is if it causes you to lose faith or hope. Without these, the future is certainly bleak, and the blame is set on whatever it was that happened. So how do we make good out of bad? We don’t…God does. Just trust Him to take all of the circumstances and weave them into a powerful life. So, whatever happens today, realize it is not just what it is today, it is what God and you will make of it.
Scripture to Claim:
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. (Romans 8:28)
