ROMANS 8:28

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

TO PONDER

Perspective, it's an important tool when we encounter challenges in life. I remember as a child, when I would whinge about the vegetables that I had been served for dinner, my parents would remind me that there were children in other places around the world who were not able to find food for dinner at all and who would be so grateful for any of the food on my plate, even the Brussels sprouts. It often worked enough to guilt me into eating my veggies, but it didn't make me enjoy them.

Of course my parents had my best interests at hear too. They wanted to ensure that I consume a healthy diet of fresh protein, fruit and vegetables so that I would maintain good health and develop good eating habits. I know that now, but as a child I just didn't see why broad beans and Brussels sprouts were so essential when there were so many other vegetables I was happy to eat. They knew what was good for me, even if I didn't like it.

I think this is the kind of attitude Paul is encouraging the Roman Christians to adopt in today's verse. We are often so focussed on our immediate circumstances that we can fail to see or recognise what the challenges we face might be doing to grow and mature us in healthy ways. Like children who do not want to eat their vegetables, we can often be so concerned about our immediate comfort and security that our instant reaction to difficulties in life is to have a melt down like a child facing a plate of unwanted vegetables and insist that God just take them away.

However, if we can take a moment to try and gain the larger perspective and remember that our God loves us, has promised never to abandon us, and is always at work for the good of those who love him, then perhaps we can address the challenges of life with a different attitude. God's priority is not our immediate comfort, it's about helping us to forge a closer and more intimate relationship with him. Seeing things from this perspective doesn't make the hard things any more enjoyable (Brussels sprouts are still Brussels sprouts), but it can make them more endurable and it can remind us that we have a God who wants us to call on him and rely on him in our troubles rather than trying to deal with them on our own.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, for all my age I know I often still act like a child with you. I know that you are always at work for my good and yet, when I'm not comfortable or when life gets hard I can question your goodness and might even be prone to sulking and complaining. Please help me to see things from your perspective. Help me to see where I need to grow in my trust and relationship with you, and help me to see where you are calling me to help others in the same way. Amen

Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle