The Worst Thing That Could Ever Happen to You
The worst thing that could ever happen to you would be for you to always get your own way. That’s right, there could be no greater problem than if your life were completely free from problems. What kind of person would rise from years of nothing but good things happening all the time? Such a person would not have the opportunity to develop character. There would be no leaning on sources of greater strength. There would be no need to work on any type of solution. There would be little thoughtfulness of the plight of others. A problem-free life is a life devoid of the existence of a deep and abiding faith.
Noah became Noah through the flood. Abraham became Abraham through the offering. Moses became Moses through the wilderness. David became David through the battle with the giant. What was only unrealized potential in these heroes of faith would never have surfaced without the circumstances for which they would have never asked.
How would you like to live through 120 years of boat building only to see the world nearly come to an end? Or how would you like to have to sacrifice your child? Would you want to be exiled for 40 years in a desert, or would you be excited about facing a nine-foot warrior one-on-one with the fate of your nation hanging in the balance?
There is life as we see it and then there is life as God sees it. It is absolutely essential to our personal growth that we meet difficult and sometimes insurmountable challenges. God knows we cannot face these challenges alone, and so He operates in such a way to allow for these challenges so that we can rely on Him to deliver us. Paul said,
And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Cor. 12:7-10).
Funny, isn’t it, how we pray for things to go just as we hope they will? Later on, we find out that we were much better off not getting what we wished for. Even in the lean times, when we have desperately cried out for the removal of a situation or circumstance that we never wanted, we end up realizing that the answer was not for God to immediately remove the obstacle from our path. Christianity is the discipleship of Jesus, who Himself prayed for the cup to pass but instead was glorified by the drinking of even the very last drop.
The next time you think you are in the worst place you have ever been, the next time you see no hope, no light, no solution – consider Jesus. This is not the worst thing that could ever happen – it already happened to Him at Calvary. It happened so you would not get your own way about everything. It happened so you would realize that His way is best.
“I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth—Praise to our God; Many will see it and fear, and will trust in the Lord. Blessed is that man who makes the Lord his trust…”
– Psalm 40:1-4a.
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