As I checked my semester result that year, the words that came out of my mouth contradicted the situation at hand. I simply said; “Thank You Lord for allowing it.” I knew that having a carryover in one of my courses was certainly not good, but it would sure work for my good. But I counted it all joy. It turned out to be just that.

Friend, we must learn to trust God in difficult times. Christianity is not a call unto comfort and convenience. Rather, it is a call unto following God through thick and thin, the highs and the lows, the rain and the sunshine, abundance and scarcity, persecution and support. It is a calling unto progress with God in the pursuit of His purpose for your lives, against all odds.

The Bible did not say that all things will be good, but that all things work together for good (Romans 8:28). There are things you are not happy with right now that, in the light eternity, they are good for you. They are the raw materials that God is using to bring to pass His purpose and counsel for your life. For Joseph, the shortest route to the palace was the prison even though it was not a a palatable experience (Genesis 41:9-44).

For Esther, losing both parents at a tender age was not something she bargained for. But it worked out God’s purpose for her (Esther 2:7, 8:1). Jephthah moved from rejection to redirection after being called a bastard. The rejection helped him to discover who he was and fulfil his destiny as a mighty man of valour (Judges 11:1-11).

Hannah would have thought that God was unfaithful; her several years of attending Shiloh was a sheer waste of time as she had no child to show for it. But in the light of eternity, it was working for her good. God used that situation to prepare her to be the mother of a major prophet who would be pivotal to God’s eternal purpose and counsel (1 Samuel 1:1-2, 2:21, 3:1).

What about Ruth? What could have been worse than losing your husband at the early stage of your marriage? Well, it was the same bad situation that God used to prepare and position her to become an ancestress of Jesus (Ruth 1:5-16, 4:13,22). Can God still work out His divine purpose out of your seeming ugly situation today? Your perspective and response will determine this. You will need to count it all joy (James 1:2-3).

© ‘Demola Awoyele
Lead Pastor,
Destiny Impact Church
Akure, Nigeria