A few years ago, a saying made the rounds: “It’s all good.” I don’t know where that got started, and I’m not sure I believe it. I can think of plenty of things that, in my opinion, are not good. And yet I do believe the statement that all things work together for good for those who love God.
Because our vision is limited, we don’t always know in the moment whether a situation is ultimately for our good. What looks like a disaster at the time could very well turn out to be a blessing in disguise. God can turn our trials into triumphs.
Napoleon Hill wrote: Within every problem is the seed of an equal or greater benefit.
A fabulous opportunity seldom shows up in the form of a winning lottery ticket – it usually shows up as hard work. Perhaps this is God’s way of ensuring that the best opportunities go to the people most likely to make the most of them.
In the early years of the twentieth century, the boll weevil, native to Mexico, migrated throughout the southern United States. Between 1915 and 1918, most of the cotton crop was destroyed.
The local farmers, facing ruin and bankruptcy, decided to take a chance on a new crop – peanuts. This turned out to be a very lucrative decision – the area prospered like never before.
In downtown Enterprise, Alabama, there is a large statue of a woman holding a trophy overhead with a boll weevil perched on top of it. At the base is this inscription:
In profound appreciation of the Boll Weevil and what it has done as the herald of prosperity, this monument was erected by the citizens of Enterprise, Coffee County, Alabama.
Their blessing was disguised as an especially destructive insect, but it was indeed a blessing, and they built a monument to their blessing in disguise.
Into each life some rain must fall – but behind the blackest clouds the sun is still shining. Even in our darkest hour God is still there, waiting to pour out a blessing. If we can’t see the blessing, it’s because we’ve not looked for it: Seek and you shall find.
Recent Comments