If you’re locked up in misery, if your heart is broken, if your life feels like it’s being torpedoed by an enemy force, if you feel like you’re a ship that’s capsized and going under, there is a promise for you that can change everything. There is a promise of God that cannot be shaken, stolen, or smashed into pieces. It is found in the Bible in Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” This might be some of the best news that those who feel surrounded by bad news could hear.
By no means does this mean that every mound of trash that gets thrown in your lap is good, but what it does mean is that not all trash is waste. If you wait on God, you might just see an apple tree sprout from this trash, or a priceless treasure surface from the depths of this garbage.
As a child of God, your misery does not have to be pointless. Your suffering does not have to be without a bright side. Cancer is not good, diabetes is not good, house fires are not good, but God is a workaholic at turning things around for those who love him. Jesus is on a 24-7 mission to repurpose your pain. Jesus takes no holidays or sick time. He’s a handyman with an unlimited tool chest, and He knows how to bring life out of death, light out of darkness and hope out of despair.
Life is not pain-free. God never promised that. Life is not without trouble. Jesus actually promised us that in this world we would have trouble (John 16:33) but he also promised us that he is working all things together for good in the lives of those who love him.
Have you ever heard the word upcycle? Here is Wiktionary’s definition of the word: “To convert (waste materials, etc.) into new materials or products of higher quality and greater functionality.” I love that. God is on a mission to upcycle your struggle. He can convert your trouble into a new material of higher quality. He can convert your heartbreak and your failures into functional things.
If you’ve made a wrong turn, missed a turn, or if life has thrown a roadblock your way, Jesus Christ, the all-knowing and all-powerful GPS system personified can recalculate and still get you to your destination. You may be stuck in traffic for a bit, you may not move an inch for a certain period of time because of construction, but if you keep following his voice, he’s going to get you there. Whether it was your fault or someone else’s fault, or just the reality of life happening, the grace of God is at work to bring good out of the situation.
The Bible says that we can be “confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6);” And in Psalms 138:8, the Bible says that “The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me;” Jesus says, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” When life shoots a trouble-tipped arrow at your heart, keep living for God, keep praying, keep reading your Bible, keep telling people about Jesus and how he rescued you from destruction, keep trusting in God that he has a plan for you and that he is working to make something beautiful out of your life.