It's Not Over Until It's Good

I think we have got it all wrong. When it comes to life as a follower of Jesus Christ, I think we believe everything will work out perfectly and there will never be any hard times. That is simply not true, God didn’t promise us a world of sunshine and rainbows. Sure, He did give us the rainbow as a sign of His promise way back with Noah but that promise did not include a perfect life. In fact, He promised us quite the opposite would happen to us countless times in the Bible. We can see this come true when we look at the life of Jesus. Jesus was a perfect man that never sinned but He still endured storms and bad days in this world. There are two reasons God allowed Jesus to have these tough times. First, He endured questioning and ridicule of who He said He was to build His endurance in order to endure the pain and suffering He experienced on the cross. Second, Jesus experienced physical suffering in order to pay the price for our sins and to make us right with the Father Almighty so we don’t have to. Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice so we don’t have to. We know that we have been instructed to live like Jesus but are so surprised when that comes with the same suffering and ridicule He endured.

We read verses like Romans 8:28 that say, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” We are seeking comfort and encouragement in the midst of our struggles. We hold tight to the part that says we will receive good yet turn a blind eye to the truth that the verse really gives us. This verse tells us that all things, not just good things work together for good. God uses all things for the good of those who love Him. That means the bad days and the storms which we endure are just as important if not more important for the development of God’s plan in our lives. God does not guarantee that our lives will be easy, but He does say that all things will work together for good.

When we look at our storms and bad days we don’t see a purpose in the struggles but that is only because we are still in the process. We are blind to what is going on behind the scenes that will turn the bad into good. We can take refuge in verses like Romans 5:3-5 that give us hope, “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” Since we know now that there is no way to get around our struggles we can put our heads down and endure the struggles knowing that we will gain endurance. We learn in 1 Peter 5:10 that our struggles will not last long and we will be restored. (“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”)

The bad days and struggles are inevitable, so we might as well face them head-on. I have found a few ways to weather the bad times this life gives us and I hope they can be helpful in your life.

• Fill your lives with resources that are uplifting. Infuse your life with positive and encouraging content that is God-centered. Listen to Christian music, read the Bible, and seek out God-centered help.

• Trust in God and His ways. Understand that God has a purpose even if we cannot see it and choose to trust Him instead of questioning Him. The amount of peace you have in the midst of your storms is directly related to the amount of trust you have that God is in control and has a plan.

• Don’t struggle alone. We were not created to be alone, that is why God gave Adam a suitable partner in Eve. This is why Noah had his family during the flood. That is why Ruth made the decision to stay with Naomi after the loss of both of their husbands. We are stronger together and need each other's perspectives to weather the storms.

• Hold onto the good you have. We cannot and should not let go of the good that God has given us in our lives. Most commonly these are things we might normally overlook, such as a loyal friend, a good job, a loving family, a place to call home, etc.

My hope is that I can give you hope and peace in the middle of your struggles. I know that it can be very difficult to find peace in the bad times but I urge you to try to see it through the eyes of God. God has a plan much bigger than we could ever imagine and to get there we have to have strength and endurance that come from bad times. So hold on tight during the process and know that it isn’t over until it is good.

If you find yourself in the middle of the biggest storm of your life and feel like it may never end please know we are praying for you. If you need a friend to come alongside you for support please reach out to us at mychristianwalk@yahoo.com. I also encourage you to seek out Christian-based professional help or therapy if you feel this storm could overtake you. Peace be with you!