Today's Devotional Thought
September 13, 2010 by Rachel Piferi
Looking for Good
Why do bad things happen to us? I mean, I can understand when bad things happen because we made the wrong choices or acted in a way that was outside of God’s direction. But, why do bad things happen to us when we are following God’s will and making all of the decisions in the way that God wants us to? Why does God let the righteous suffer hardships?
If you have studied this topic before then I am sure that the first name that came to your mind was Job. Or maybe you thought of those classic verses in James about struggling producing perseverance and character. We struggle because it is good for us to grow, right? James told us that. Job showed us that.
While that is all true, I’m not going to present that answer today. That’s too easy an answer: God lets the righteous suffer because we learn things in the midst of suffering and it is good for us to grow from our hardships. I’m going to present another option today. God lets us suffer because if we didn’t experience bad, then we wouldn’t know what good felt like.
Have you ever been in need? I mean really in need. Maybe you needed childcare or a place to stay or money and you really didn’t know how you were going to get it. And, if you have ever been in need, do you remember how good it felt when someone helped you with that need or walked alongside you in your time of need or when that need was filled?
When we struggle with something or have a great need that must be filled, we feel a lot of pain, a lot of hopelessness, and a lot of fear. But, when we are in need, we are also in the perfect spot for God to show us goodness. We are in the perfect place for God to fill that need or ease that struggle by sending help or just show us the love of someone else through that hardship. And God may not just sweep in and fill the need or solve the problem the way that we expect. He may not even take away the struggle and you may have to face a serious situation that doesn’t get better quickly. But, if you look for it, I believe that you will find some good that God has sent in the midst of it. Maybe He will send someone to you who can bear the burden for you and provide the childcare or place to stay or money that you need. Maybe He’ll send you a friend, a trusted companion, to walk alongside you and encourage you as you struggle through the situation. Or maybe, He will just provide you with a peace that surpasses all understanding as you endure it. Regardless of the way that He does it, God will send good in the midst of our bad.
As you are sitting in your time of need and struggle, look for the good. Don’t just focus on how God may not be solving the problem or filling the need. Look at how much good He is sending in the midst of it. And, accept that good, even if it isn’t an exact solution to the problem. Accept it as one way that God can help you experience good. And realize that without the bad situations and struggles in life that we would not be able to fully understand or experience good.
Without struggle, we would never know peace. Without need, we would never know how good it feels to receive the fulfillment of a need. Without God, we would never experience good. Look for the good and look for God in the middle of your hardship today. Trust me friends, He is there even if He isn’t showing up in the way that you would expect. And, there is so much good that can be experienced in the middle of our bad. Choose to experience the good today.
December