Out of the Ashes

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

I recently found a Facebook post from many years ago where I had just come home after lunch with a friend. We had been catching up with each other and talking about all the things that had happened in our lives since we worked together. In particular we had just got done talking about some of the major events that had happened in my life, and he said “Disaster has been very good to you!”

• My diagnosis in 1995 of terminal brain tumor, and being told I would be dead within 3- 6 months, and the story of my healing in 1996 in such a way that only God could have removed my tumor. Cancer opened the door for me to retire from practicing law, and enter the ministry, which I did for many years.
• In 2001 we had a house fire that pretty much took away all we had. But out of those ashes came a newly remodeled house. We didn’t lose anything irreplaceable in the fire, so all we lost was just “stuff” so we got newer and better “stuff”!
• In 2009 we had a flood in our house the day before we were to shoot a wedding. (We ran our pwn Photo studio those days) It was a pretty major disruption. But to make a long story short, the flood gave us the opportunity to remodel our downstairs and make it a part of our house that really flowed for us, as well as create a home photo studio space, which was something we really wanted!

Those were just three of the big things I had been talking with him about. In the intervening years there have been other major events that have taken place as well. I’m guessing that as you read this you are recounting events in your life that were unexpected disasters.

My point today is when we look back at our life and these life changing moments, they represent a place in time where your life had a clearly a marked departure from where you thought things were headed.

You know what they are like. They are times when you wonder what God is up to.

I’ve realized that you have to see God in EVERYTHING. The good, the bad and even in the ugly. If you see God in everything, then nothing is really bad. It’s just the next step. You can fight it, or have an attitude that is looking to see what He is doing.

One of my very favorite verses is Romans 8:28: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose.”

It is one of the easiest verses to hold dear, yet the hardest to pull out and embrace when life seems hard and unfair. Yet, it is the key to living a peaceful life.

I wish I could say I always react right way, but the truth is I don’t. I allow myself to think I’m entitled to the future I’ve expected I’m entitled to.

So, all things considered, disasters have been a good thing for me.

Out of the ashes has always come something better than I could have imagined. Reflect today on how God has, in hindsight, worked things out for good in your life? Take time to tell Him how grateful you are and choose to look at life through lenses that seek

His purpose in all that happens to you.

Many times we won’t be able to tell in the midst of it what He is doing, but rest assured He is working it out for your eternal good!