You
intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now
being done, the saving of many lives.
Genesis
50:20
Thoughts~
I never want to ignore the promptings of the Holy
Spirit so I listen intently when I hear “echos”. Late this afternoon I was
reading a book by my hero Charles Swindoll called “A Life Well Lived” when I
found myself nodding in agreement with tears streaming down my cheeks over
Genesis 50:20. Joseph had been so mistreated by his brothers and they were in
fear of his new power and yet his kindness to them was astounding as he told
them God had used the evil they had done to him for God’s purpose.
Joseph’s kindness spoke to me so much but also the fact
that God used his brother’s actions for a better good. This book is not light
fluffy reading, and, while short, it will take me some time to really read
because I keep stopping to ponder things. I wanted to share this in my blog and
yet it seemed kind of serious and lengthy to tell my story so I dismissed
it.
Shortly after, I picked up another book I’m reading (I
read a lot!) by Carol Kent called “A New Kind of Normal” and guess what verse
was prominently displayed before my eyes with “mental arrows” pointing to it?
Genesis 50:20! An echo for sure, so here I sit, typing out these verses,
knowing they are for at least one other reader besides me.
In a nut shell, Kent shares how her life changed when
her dearly loved son was sent to prison for murder. And she shares so
transparently every hurt, doubt, bit of anger and negative feeling she
experienced before realizing the truth of this beautiful verse. God is using
the incarceration of her son to save lives! Spiritual lives, physical lives,
emotional lives. She also shares many stories of others who God is using as
they travel pain filled paths yet are saving the lives of others.
God has used my past to save lives that I probably won’t
know all about until Heaven. And while some of it is painful to share, I do so at
retreats or in small group settings. The very short version is that over the
past 7 years, God has transformed me from a hurting victim of an ex husband
with a pornography addiction to a woman who walks with full confidence of His
love and plan for my life. He has used every bit of my pain to help others in
similar situations. He is accomplishing His greater plan to save lives.
We often hear that ‘God is a God of New Beginnings’ but
another little quote I love goes with it: “Every story has an end . . . but in
life, every end has a new beginning.” An end to a marriage or to a friendship,
a job loss, the death of a loved one can and will all be used in a new
beginning if you allow God to be in first position of your life like Joseph
did.
Our Heavenly Father will use every single situation
that happens to bring us to the place we can accomplish the most for Him. The
saving of lives: emotionally, physically and spiritually.
Action~
What kind of evil has happened to you? Can you look at
it yet and say “Yes! God has used it to save lives” or are you still working
through it? Know that God’s truth is for everyone of us, not just Joseph or
Carol Kent. But for me and for you.
If Joseph can exhibit the full assurance that God will
use all evil/hurt/sin/betrayal that is done against him, we can have that very
same assurance that God will do the same for us.
Learn to be transparent and authentic and allow Him to
use your own story to help others. In
the process, it will help you too.
Pray~
Thank You God for using every kind of situation in my
life to bring me to the point I can best serve You.
Trusting in Him,
Becky
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