Transformational Thought
We all tend to put premature finish lines on so many situations. “I will never talk to him again,” “Nobody will ever love me,” “If I don’t get any money by the end of the month to pay my bills, I am a failure.” I know many people who have lost all happiness in their lives … they wonder if they will ever have joy again. Their unhappiness is usually an outcome of being in a very bad situation, so my prayer for them is, “God, please bring some good out of this bad situation. “
Why is this prayer always so difficult to pray when you are in the midst of a horrible situation? Illness, maybe death or a divorce, being in the grasp of an addiction, financial trouble … the list goes on and on. So many reasons to be unhappy. We typically don’t ask God to make good from the bad because we are in the midst of suffering. It’s almost impossible to consider all the wonderful outcomes that God could have in store for us. So, for those of you who have lost all hope for happiness and are in the midst of a storm, pray this simple prayer, “Dear Father, please allow me to see the good You will bring from this bad situation.”
Our present painful circumstances are there to sharpen, grow, and show us valuable skills and information about God, life and ourselves. This isn’t the end of the movie … more scenes are yet to come. Even though it is painful at times, do what you need to do, so when God opens the door, you are ready to walk through and take advantage of it. Often times we put off the “studying or training time” in a task or hardship. So we don’t learn the important skills, process, or information we need to be successful when the opportunity to shine on the next test, performance, or event is Within Reach.
Today, don’t believe the struggle you are in is over. The end of the movie is not now. Accept that this is only the early part of a great movie of restoration and healing. What do you need to do for the cool movie turnaround twist to start? God will show up and do His part. Will you? Follow Him; do the training now so you can manage the experience and have peace, comfort, and success in the adversity/opportunity that is at hand. You can have a front row seat to appreciate what He is doing today and what He will do tomorrow in your life. Again, your decision to make!
Prayer
Dear Father God, I know that bad does not come from You, but that You have the power to make good come from a bad situation. I pray, Father, that you give me the strength to endure this storm and to build my belief that You will bring good from the bad. Most days I feel like I will never be happy again. I pray that You replace this sadness and hopelessness with Your joy and hope. I confess that I have made choices that have created this bad; forgive me, Lord. But there are also bad circumstances that are out of my control and that I do not understand. I accept, Lord, that my ability to understand is so limited. But I trust that You will bring good from this bad. Help me, Lord, reflect Your light and hope to others who are in the midst of what appears to be an impossible situation. I pray in the name of the One who was always patiently waited on You while enduring persecution, Jesus Christ; and all God’s children say – AMEN!
The Truth
then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you! … I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God, enduring forever; his kingdom shall never be destroyed, and his dominion shall be to the end. He delivers and rescues; he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, he who has saved Daniel from the power of the lions.”
Daniel 6:16, 26-27
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
James 1:2-4