It's not a cliche - He really does!

"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 (NASB)

Have you ever had something bad happen, and then while you're trying to figure out why or how this happened to you, a well meaning person comes to you and tries to comfort you by saying, "you know, everything happens for a reason." How did that make you feel? Did it make everything better? Or did it frustrate you, to where you were thinking - "WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?"

I totally recall the first time this was said to me and exactly how I felt. This event happened my junior year in high school when I was sixteen years old. During Spring Break of that year, I was going every morning to track practice. During this period, my coach used the video camera and portable player. He videotaped me throwing the shot-put and the discus, and after recording ten throws, we would stop and play them back. This was awesome because I saw what I needed to correct. Well, after three days of this, my coach had me throw six times as if it was a track meet. Guess what? The training with video helped me improve enough, to where I broke the school records. This was huge! Track scholarship to UCLA, USC, ASU, or STANFORD! I mean it was my junior year, I could only imagine how far I would be throwing by the end of my senior year.

But, then it happened-the very next day, all my hopes and dreams were DESTROYED. While maxing out on the power lifts, I injured my back. I could hardly walk, and I was numb from the shoulders down. A specialist put me in the hospital to run tests on my spine and then surgery. The night before my test, the Chaplin came in and talked with me and he said, "Son you know there is a reason why this happened, you just got to have faith." After he said that, I asked him to leave because I was stunned, hurt and angry. Why would God allow this to happen? He knew this had been my dream since I was little and now it’s right there in the grasp of my hand- HE TAKES IT FROM ME. Ouch! It hurt!

But, as I look back at this event, it had to happen. Why? If I had gotten my scholarship to those colleges, I never would have met Lahoma. Lahoma, who led me to Jesus as my Savior, the person who encouraged me and helped me become a Pastor, the person who became my wife and the mother of my four children. The person who assisted me in many outreach evangelism and mission projects that over the past thirty years have seen hundreds of people receive Jesus as their Savior and hundreds more had the seed planted.

So DEFINITELY YES - God does cause all things to work together for good. As we read today's passage of scripture, we need to look at a few key points. First, notice that it says "ALL THINGS." How encouraging is that? It means that any situation or circumstance, God will use it. God is able to turn everything around for our long range good. Secondly, we see that God does this because we love Him and we are called according to His purposes. Finally, because we are "called", it means that we trust in God, and that we look for security in heaven and not on Earth. We learn to accept the pain and persecution, because we know that God is always there with us, and no matter what, He will always provide the strength, courage, and hope to work through these circumstances. It enables us to look past the present situation, and to look forward to what God is going to do with the circumstance we currently are experiencing. By understanding this promise and embracing it and allowing it to empower us, we are able to deal with these circumstances with an air of expectation. An expectation to see God to turn these painful situations into something amazing and wonderful.

As you enter into these circumstances, remember that because you love God and because you are called to His purpose, that God is going to make something good - no not good, but FANTASTIC out of that situation.

Have a blessed day in the Lord,
Brother Rick

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