Words Of Encouragment To Start The Day ( Friday 11/21/08)

For My Good...But For His Glory!

Romans 8:28-30 (Amplified Bible)
28) We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.
29) For those whom He foreknew [of whom He was aware and loved beforehand], He also destined from the beginning [foreordaining them] to be molded into the image of His Son [and share inwardly His likeness], that He might become the firstborn among many brethren.
30) And those whom He thus foreordained, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified (acquitted, made righteous, putting them into right standing with Himself). And those whom He justified, He also glorified [raising them to a heavenly dignity and condition or state of being].

I never understood when I would hear parents say to their children, "this is going to hurt me more that it will hurt you." Or when people would say that the pain they were going to inflict was something that would be beneficial to everyone involved. My favorite one was when you go to the doctor and they say "it will only hurt for minute and then you will feel better." I never forget when I was in labor, and my doctor told me to "let the pain work to my advantage," what kind of crazy talk was that, I thought to myself. But that pain was really for my good, to motivate me, and to help bring that child into the world. It brought forth the glory of what was and had yet to be revealed.

In so many instances there are things that we go through that are painful, uncomfortable or mind boggling at best. At first glance they appear to be to our detriment, to be something meant to take us down and take us out. But it is when we are seeking God and His will for our lives that we realize that everything that looks bad isn't bad. Everything that looks like a hot mess, isn't always that way. It is all in who is doing the looking. To look at it through the natural means, we might see the enemy ripping us apart, or getting the better of us, we recognize the pain and sometimes the totality of the situation. When we can see through the eyes of Christ, we can recognize the demise of the things in us that are carnal, flesh based and not faith based, things that are people driven instead of spirit driven, the purging out of old ways, behaviors, habits and even people are really for our good. It produces things in us that may have been hidden, undiscovered or God breathed. These things that could not have found a place had other elements stayed in our lives. It is when the fabric of who we think we should be is torn down and replaced with the reality of who God wants us to be that we can then bring him Glory and honor and it is Good!

So when you are looking at all that is going wrong and what does not seem right, try looking through the Holy Spirit. Try invoking God into the mix so you may be able to see the reality of what is really going on. Could it be that it is about God getting the Glory out of your life that all of these things may be occurring? When you step back and look at it from the eyes of God is it for your good but ultimately for His glory? Only God really knows and you can too, if you are called according to His purpose!