Turning Evil into Good
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 (NIV) Bib
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.—PHILIPPIANS 4:6 NIV
A woman in her sixties cared for her husband as he battled lung cancer. Her thoughts bounced between his health issues and her fears of the future. What will happen if I lose him? she thought daily. A thousand scenarios played out in her mind, none of them with happy endings.
For the caregiver who struggles with such worries, the sky overhead can seem dark with clouds. It can feel like anxiety and trouble are constantly hovering above, always threatening to break loose in a downpour of despair. But even in the most difficult times, the Lord admonishes us to cast our cares on Him…to release those anxieties into His powerful hands.
If your heart is heavy today, if you’re fighting to keep your head above water, take time to “present your requests to God.” Spend serious time with the Lord, sharing your heart. Ask for His perspective and His will. And thank Him for what is good in your life. God is pleased to answer such prayers.
Dear Lord, I choose to approach Your throne with thanksgiving in my heart. In that state of mind, I offer up my worries, my anxieties, and my fears. I present them to You, knowing that You care for me.
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 (NIV) Bib
Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.—Luke 6:38 (NIV)
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.—1 John 1:9 (NIV)