Day 2044 of the 7 day Bible verse challenge.


Romans 8:28 NIV

This past week brought yet another surprise hospital visit for our family. There have been so many health issues in this little group of four people over the last several years. At times I've wondered why. I've tried to figure out the reasons and some way to help make things better for everyone. I've tossed up countless prayers and have been joined in those humble requests by many friends. And the hits just keep coming.

But this last one has been quite different. The problem has actually been found and is now heading in the right direction. The patient has faced it all with this kind of peace and almost gratitude that exudes confidence in God's plans. Seeing someone in such pain and how they manage to see the good that is underneath all the bad is seriously inspiring. So this one has been on my mind for quite some time now.

It's so easy to miss the purpose because of the pain. Nobody likes pain. No one enjoys not feeling well. But I've always said that pain is a pretty good teacher. It helps us discover our problems and weaknesses. It helps us see the issues that we need to address in our lives. It lets us know that something is wrong and pushes us to get something done about it.

So while pain, illness, sadness, and every other hurtful thing in life seems like some sort of punishment at the time, we can't let it blind us to the work that God's doing. We can't allow ourselves to focus so much on how our situation sucks that we miss the chance to hear what God is trying to tell us through all of it. Again, trust is easy when things are comfortable. But if we can manage to continue trusting God even when they aren't, only then do we know what faith really is.

I have no doubt that everyone that reads this is dealing with something uncomfortable and painful. That's just the way life goes. But I wanted to encourage you guys to stop seeing only the pain. Learn to look past the misery. Learn to look for the good, look for the lessons, look for the purpose in the things you face. The sucky part is always going to be there. So we may as well get something good and beneficial out of it if we have to endure it anyway!

God is working. He is continually unfolding His plans and purpose in our lives. And His plans are always good. They might mean a mountain lies in your way, but trust that there's a reason for it to be there. Yeah, it might be hard to climb over or go around. But when we remember that God's with us and that He has something for us to gain from it, then it makes is so much easier to face.

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