Don't Waste Good Problems!

Would I could bring the vision closer, nearer,      

And give to you a glimpse of what is mine,

Teach you to know that earth’s most cruel affliction

Is not beyond the hand of Love Divine.        

                                                                                -Oswald J. Smith

‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.’  Romans 8:28 

All things work together for good. All things. Earth’s most cruel affliction is not beyond the hand of Love Divine. God doesn't just help us get through tough times, He brings good out of them. I always thought this ‘all things working together for good’ meant  that the good that would come out of a trial or disappointment would be some kind of earthly good, like some visitors, or a new friend, book, computer, etc, or maybe getting to go on a holiday to the beach, or something like that. But last weekend we were learning about rejoicing through trials and disappointments because God uses them to help our characters grow. So the good that comes out of our trials and disappointments may not be finding a new skirt at a bargain price, or getting to go somewhere or to see someone- it might be of course, those things are good too- it might be just to improve our characters; make them more fit for heaven. 

Part of our study last weekend about rejoicing in trials, included some stories of a man who was a missionary in New Guinea. He faced a lot of trials. But he realized that God was strengthening his character through these trials, and giving him opportunities that otherwise, he never could have had. He concluded his sermon by saying ‘Don’t waste good problems!’ Because every time God sent him a problem to teach him a lesson, and he didn’t respond to it correctly, God would send him another one! If we want to improve our characters, we need to make good use of those problems! God uses them for our good.

 He also suggested that instead of saying good bye to our friends by saying ‘Have a good day!’ we should say ‘Don’t waste good problems!’  So, don’t waste good problems! Make sure you get every bit of good you can out of them!