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The rest of this devotional comes with a disclaimer; I am not whining or complaining I am just using my life as an example and what I use you probably could come up with far worse. Here we go.

Over the last five months I have had two cars totaled in accidents that were the other persons fault. One of those accidents was while the car was sitting in my drive way! The money we received from insurance was far less than what the car was worth to us. Then our other car breaks, not to mention it gets hit in a local shopping center and the person drives off. For a while I was down to one borrowed car being used to get four drivers around. It has not been fun, it has been an ‘all things’ type of time.

Now where is the good here, let’s see if we can find God in this. During this time we have been able to see other people’s generosity to us as they have loaned us cars to get around and helped us find other cars. There have been other people who have offered to help repair our cars as well. Another place we can find God here is in the fact that no one was hurt in the first accident, with six people in the car as well as an expecting mother. Then in the second incident one of my son’s could have been seriously hurt but was on the other side of the car when impact arrived. You see though it has been tough to be without cars, God has been all over it.

We have spent enough money over the last 8 months on dentist work to easily buy another car or put a small family through college. On top of that the dentist we loved retired and left us in limbo, searching to find a new one. Then within the last couple of weeks my blood pressure has taken a rapid rise to the top of the charts. On top of all that my contract is up in less than two months at my company and I have no idea if it will be renewed, which is important since I am the soul provider for 8 people with one on the way in February. When it comes to financial issues it has been an ‘all things’ period of time lately.

So where is God here, can we find him? Well for one thing when we left one dentist we visited one that was just horrible but he had to refer us to another dentist and that person has been the best dentist of all time, a real blessing. I always like to keep in mind that though dentist and doctors are expensive I am blessed more than others to have insurance to help us carry the load. What about my blood pressure? This is a somewhat unresolved issue but it is better. The high blood pressure has helped me take a look at my health in general, my weight, the way I eat, and how much I exercise. It has helped me get things back in order in my personal health and should help me live a better life down the line. Through prayer and reliance on God I have learned not to worry one second about the contract. It is in God’s hands and win or lose He will still be in control, He knows the need. You see though some ‘all things’ are going on, God is in on it.

At church we have lost three absolute stalwarts over the last ten months. They were faithful to give, faithful to be there, and faithful to pray and were real supporters of my ministry. I miss them in a personal way. In a small church like ours losses like that are hard on you if you’re the pastor not to mention how they affect the overall church spirit. Losses like that are an ‘all things’ type of event.

So where is God in this? Let me be honest with you on this one, I haven’t seen God’s activity on this one yet. I know that God loves His church and I know He alone knows the need so I am working on my trust issue with God that He will take care of the church. Though I may not see the final result of God’s hand if I believe He was in all the other issues of my life I have to trust that He is in on this one as well. I will wait, trust and learn from it.

As we close lets keep in mind that I never rejoice when bad things come into my life. I do not rejoice in sickness, financial loss or in the loss of a loved one. But if I believe God is in the good things then I have to believe he is in the bad. It is not in simply thanking God for my health that I find him it is when I have to dig out of a personal pit that I really mature in my faith. If he is Lord of my life as I claim then he is Lord of my life each and every day, good and bad. He alone can use the bad for His own purposes no matter if I understand them or not.

So, yes let’s keep a good spiritual attitude and find the good in each and every day. Then when for some reason life takes an ugly turn lets work to thank God in ‘all things’ as Paul calls us to. There we will find spiritual maturity.

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, “ Be joyful always; pray continually; give thank in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

How can you mature in your faith through all things?

Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”

Dear Lord, we come honestly before you admitting that it life can be hard at times and at times that brings doubt. Help us during those times, give us strength. Help us to rest in your arms and find peace there. Though it may not be fun maturing in our faith help us to learn to trust in your bigger plan for our lives and not give up. In Christ name, Amen.