Many people think these are weeds. Farmers fields are full of these weeds. For crops they are bad and must be eliminated. Homeowners who have a certain landscape design may think of these as weeds and eliminate them. These flowers (which may be weeds to you) grow all along a road we frequently travel. To me they are spectacular. Their beauty just screams out to me as we drive down the road. For some reason, the farmers and land owners down this road, chose to let these beauties live.
Wild flowers, while bad for crops because they can easily take over a field, bring a smile to my face and they warm my heart. When I see a field of wild flowers, I do not see the crops they may be strangling, I see beauty, I see God.
For many of us living in this world we see and hear so much bad news, so much death and destruction. Mass shootings, war, crime, politics, and media star's drama unfolds on the nightly news. Depression and sadness spread like the plague as we listen to endless negative story lines. No wonder depression is so rampant in this world, if I listened to the news I probably would be depressed too.
Can any of this bad turn around for the good? Yes of course it can. Look at the Civil War, yes thousands of people were killed, but because of that war, there are no longer slaves in this country. Look at WWII; so many soldiers lost their lives, but because of their sacrifice, Hitler was removed from power and many jews were freed from certain death. I could go on and on with stories and I know you could think of some too.
I know that at the time when we are going through something bad, it can be hard to imagine anything good coming out of it, but that is what usually happens.
Let's look at Joseph in the Old Testament. His brothers hated him because he was his fathers favorite. So they sold him int slavery and told their father he was killed. Joseph was a slave to a leader in Egypt, then he was falsely imprisoned. For 13 years or so Joseph lived a life none of us would wish on our worst enemy. For 13 years it seemed as if God was silent and was ignoring Joseph, but Joseph never gave up hope. He always trusted that God would turn his situation around.
He could have been depressed, bitter or angry. He could have lived his life seeking revenge against his brothers. He could have had many pity parties. He could have lived his life angry at God for putting him through this. But he didn't. He trusted, he kept the faith and he believed God would turn his situation around. In the end he actually forgave his brothers, Read this verse:
Genesis 50:20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.
Oh if we could just get a grip on the simple truth that God can turn evil into something good. sometimes there is a lesson we need to be taught, sometimes we need to get over ourselves and realize that there is someone who is worse off than ourselves. Sometimes we need to let go of control and let God take the steering wheel of our life. Sometimes we need to be humbled!
Evil happens. Satan is alive and well on planet Earth and he will do whatever he can to lead us away from God, but if we live like Joseph did those 13 years, if we are faithful and trust in God, He will work it our for our good eventually. It may not work out as fast as we would like, but someday it will turn around.
Wounded, battered and bruised? Turn to God! Trust in Him! Cry out to Him!
Lord I need you! I have been wounded and hurt by people and situations. Help me to forgive like Joseph did. Today instead of looking at my wounds, I will trust in you. Instead of concentrating on my bruises, I will reach out to others who are battered and bruised. Heal me Lord and help me to reach out to others who have been wounded, battered and bruised by evil, in Jesus name I pray, amen!
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