Unpleasant Goodness

Sometimes we have to endure unpleasant things to reap good benefits. If I got you started you could probably think of a million ways to apply this thought. For example, to enjoy a good meal, one has to shop for its properties and then prepare them for consumption in a way that tastes wonderfully good and is healthy for the body. YUM! How about painting a house or mowing the lawn or even putting out the trash? All are somewhat unpleasant things to do, but the rewards outweigh the discomfort of having to get it done. Probably the “biggy” of all uncomfortable things to do is to submit the body to surgery, hoping to reap good benefits from it. It’s one of those things we entrust to someone else and have no control over during the procedure. I’d love to help to ensure that it got done right, but surgeons are funny about that, in that they don’t need my input, so they put me to sleep. It’s probably best for both of us. I do, however, spend much time in prayer before I enter into uncontrollable situations in my life, and that includes every morning before I enter the world another day. My most sincere prayer is for God to grant me the ability to accept the outcome of those uncontrollable situations. If I were to come out of surgery no longer able to speak, or never able to sing again, will I still praise God? God didn’t change nor did His love for me change. I pray that my love and need for God will grow in His strength when I am weak. I also praise my God and give thanks for His love and strength, not only for the things He does for me, but all the good things He will do for me the rest of my life. Today I praise God for answered prayer. No cancer found in my vocal cords this go-around. The surgery has left me uncomfortable, but this will pass with healing. I still have a voice! Thank-You for your prayers and continue to pray I will remain in God’s love.
A college student challenged a senior citizen, saying it was impossible for their generation to understand his. “You grew up in a different world”, the student said. “Today we have television, jet planes, space travel, nuclear energy, computers…” Taking advantage of a pause in the student’s litany, the old geezer said, “You’re right. We didn’t have those things when we were young, so we invented them! Just what is it that you are doing to better the lives of the next generation?”
It’s bedtime and a little girl is saying her prayers: “God bless Mommy and Daddy and me. And please make Madrid the capital of Australia.” Her mother who was with her asks why she wants Madrid to be the capital of Australia. The little girl replied, “Because that’s what I put for an answer on my geography test today.”
[Job, Chapters 1&2] It seems everyone’s advice for anyone who is suffering in life is to read the book of Job. Their thought is, if you read about the troubles of Job, which will over shadow any problem you might have, you’ll feel better. It never worked for me. But, if one were to read about Job to discover how God really cares for his children, now that’s comforting. God is still in control no matter what is happening in my life. God is always watching over me and will never allow anything to enter my life that I can’t handle, with his help. My faith grows knowing that without God there would be nothing, but with God, all things are possible. When I have troubles, God is not punishing me, my faith is being tested. As Job says: I came with nothing; I’ll leave with nothing. The lord gives; The Lord takes away. Praise the name of our Lord.