Monday, February 13, 2017

"Bad Brings Good"

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.  Romans 8:28

The verse doesn’t say that all things are good.  And it doesn’t say that all things will wind up being good in the end.  It says that all things work together for good.  One of the greatest ways that all things work together for good is when it changes us.
Recently, a situation had come to my attention.  It was not a good situation.  It was a really bad one.  As a result it sent me to my knees.  It caused me to get serious about prayer and intercession.  It got me out of my comfort zone and place of complacency.  It caused me to seek God— I mean really seek God. 
This is how all things work together for the good.  Sadly, it isn’t until something bad happens in our lives, or some problem arises, or our world starts crashing down around us that we will get up and get serious about prayer or seeking God. 
This happened with the early church.  They were being used by the Lord.  Thousands were being saved.  They were enjoying fellowship with each other—going from house to house and breaking bread.  They had their own little “community” and were enjoying it.  But then persecution arose and caused them to scatter from Jerusalem and go into other parts of the world. “And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria.” (Acts 81)  This scattering caused them to be in a position to fulfill the Great Commission that Jesus had commanded them to do.  Had there not been persecution (a really big problem) they would have continued to stay where they were and lived their comfortable lifestyle and not fulfilled their calling.  The persecution wasn’t good, but it worked out for the good—the good of the gospel and the opportunity to reach the lost for Christ.
Is your problem sending you to your knees?  Is it getting you refocused on what is truly important?  Is it taking away your comfort and “at ease attitude” and causing you to get serious about spiritual matters?  Then it is working for your good. 
Have a great day.  If a problem causes you to seek God and stop being spiritually lazy, then it has worked together for your good. 

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