Good, Bad, Ugly
I Corinthians 15:58, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”
Hello everyone! Welcome to this day and may each of us have already thanked God for it and filled our hearts with positivity! As you read the title, I’m sure you wonder how each of us have seen each of these words within our lives. All have thanked God for the good times, the good things that came our way, the goodness He provided. But, when receiving the good, did we not once think on thanking God for the bad times, the bad choices, the ugly endings, the ugly hurts He helped us to endure? Do we forget that even Jesus had to endure the bad ways of evil people, the ugly sneers and taunts of those who would not believe? Then God used all those things that happened as something good, something that gave you and I the chance to live, to not have to die on a cross to achieve forgiveness! Christ was good, no sin; the bad kept trying to find fault; then the ugly cruelly placed Him on a cross thinking they had ended His reign! But God! God extinguished what they believed was bad, and ugly and used it to bring good! Today, we need to realize that we all will experience good in many things; but don’t let the devil tell you that when bad or ugly things happen, that there is not a purpose in that pain! We need to break the devil’s cycle of deceit by responding to anything negative with kindness, love, generosity, empathy; even when everything looks too difficult for us to handle. When you find yourself threatened by evil, stop, breathe, then focus on the Good Father; the one who can bring peace in times of pain, sorrow, fear. Love, forgiveness, Godly understanding will enlighten the bad, it will bring justice to the ugly; it will give God the opportunity to use you to help others see the wrong. God will use anything that is negative if we remember He can do all things! Remember to pray for protection, healing, strength, every time you call on God; He will guide you through the good, the bad, and the ugly; then use it all for His purpose!
Scriptures:
Read: James 1:12, Isaiah 40:31, 2 Thessalonians 2:15-17, Hebrews 12:1-2, James 5:7-11, I Peter 2:19-20, II Timothy 2:11-15, Romans 5:1-5, II Timothy 4:7-8, II Corinthians 4:16-18, Colossians 1:10-12, Isaiah 41:10,13, I Corinthians 13:6-7, Hebrews 10:36, I Peter 1:25
Prayer:
Lord, we come today thanking you for all things; not just the good you provided but also for the bad times, the ugly times. Lord, we know that everything cannot be good all the time because the devil works hard to dishearten us. Please, dear Lord, fill us with your presence, your love, your strength, so we can endure this evil world. Remind us daily Lord, to find understanding of why we need to see how even the bad and ugly can be used for your purpose. Amen.