Sometimes Life Stinks


"Can I ask you a question?"
Sure.
"How many Advil do you take a day?"

That's the start of a conversation I had this week with a neighbor. I've been helping my brother in law replace a concrete retaining wall and install a fence. It hasn't been easy work, and for 2 days my primary task was to swing a sledge hammer breaking rocks and cinderblocks to backfill the hole. My everything hurts. 
Sometimes life really hurts. Not stub your toe, burn your finger, sore muscle type of hurt. You get over those things quickly. I'm talking about broken relationship, lost your job, loss of a loved one hurt. Sometimes life really hurts.
And then we get this verse.
"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28.
In some ways that verse is so encouraging, but in other ways it's confusing. Life isn't always good. There are times when life really stinks. That's why it's important to note what the verse doesn't say. It doesn't say that everything is good for those who love God. It doesn't say that everything goes the way those who love God want it to go. Loving God doesn't insure no difficulty in life. Jesus assured us that we will go through tough times.
The promise from Romans 8:28 is that all things work together for those who love God. Like a symphony the good and the bad, the easy and difficult, the highs and the lows are all woven together for good. Things don't always work out for the children of God, but they do work together.
So following God isn't going to mean life isn't going to hurt. It does mean that our Divine Choreographer is working it all together for good.
Now, where's the Advil?

Following The Son,

James A Williams

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