LIFT UP YOUR EYES

We may not always know the reason for someone's--including our own--suffering. And really in the end, this is not the goal anyways. Rather than wasting time by trying to figure out the root cause of suffering in a given instance, the important thing is to maintain a humble, repentant attitude, and like Jesus, to see instances of suffering around us as opportunities for the work of God to be displayed in people's lives, including our own. To believe that any good can come out of evil takes faith and turns this worlds wisdom that bad is bad no matter what upside down.

It doesn't take faith in self, in a church, in a book you read. It takes faith in Jesus who can-and does-work miracles and in a God who allowed Jesus (who was perfect and innocent) to die a cruel criminal's death on a cross in order to bring salvation and eternal life to us....US! (who were perfectly guilty). Thank God Jesus knew he was dying for our sins and not his own, He knew that God would ultimately overcome and triumph the evil that was upon him, he trusted himself "to him who judges justly" (1 Peter 2:23).

Im praying I would do the same and defy simplistic analyses of other people's-my own-suffering or trials, and see them as opportunities for God's glory to be revealed.