God Things

"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


I wrote the following in January 2008 and think it is a such a reflection of how the above verse has manifested itself in my own life.  I pray you will see this truth in your life and the lives of those you love.


God Things
I gotta tell ya, one of my favorite things about being a Christian is having a "God Thing" happen. Oh, you have them too...you just might not call them that. "God Things" are those times when we see with our little eyes God moving in such a huge way in our lives. It is experiencing His love, presence, or favor with every cell in our bodies. Have you ever listened to a sermon and felt like your pastor had snuck into your house while you were at work and read your journal? Have you ever been short on cash and had some show up out of "nowhere"? Have you received a phone call from a long lost friend who you were just thinking about? Helloooo...."God Things". Non-Christians have "God Things" too, but they call them luck, good fortune, or coincidence. I just love that feeling of the hair standing up on the back of my neck, or that tingly, goose-bumpy thing that happens when I experience a "God Thing".

I had a "God Thing" happen just the other night.

I have a MySpace page. My boss at the radio station where I worked last year made one for all the staff members. I have since left that job and was considering deleting my page a few months ago when I was really moved by God to turn it into a "His Space" page. I changed the format, added scripture, some cool Christian music, and a big banner that says "Jesus Loves You". There....a light in a dark place, right? I would swing by and check it every so often but had gotten busy and had kinda forgotten about it....until the other night. I had some extra time and was bored, so I checked it and found a message from a woman in my town who was being mentally and physically abused by her husband. Her name was Tess and she was "just looking for a friend to hang out with. I thought, Whoa...major "God Thing". Why? Because what this woman did not know about me (because only my closest friends and family know) is that I was a victim of Domestic Violence. This fact is not indicated on my MySpace page, but out of all the hundreds of thousand pages on MySpace she landed on mine and was moved to contact me. Coincidence or "God Thing"? You decide. 

Then I started thinking, Eliska, aren't ALL things "God Things"? Did I go through a terrible situation many years ago so I would know what to say to that woman on that night? 

I wasn't walking with Jesus at the point in my life while I was being abused, and because I should have never been in that particular relationship (because it was not Godly), I believe God's permissive will allowed those events to occur because I was going my way instead of His way. You see the Bible tells us God is sovereign. God knows and predestines future events, while at the same time making us responsible for our own choices. This is known as free will and believe me, God is not shocked at or challenged by our decisions.

Just because we can't see with our "little eyes" why we are in the midst of pain and struggle does that mean God doesn't have a plan? Do these things threaten His power? Just because we can't understand what God could possibly be thinking, does that mean we stop trusting that He is the one who has "Big Eyes"? Romans 8:28 states "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called by His purpose."
Our God reigns and He loves us so much and nothing can change that, whether we are in want or plenty, tragedy or triumph. Romans 8:35 asks, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?" Romans 8:38-39 adds, "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither the present or the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth nor anything else will be able to separate us from the love of God that is Christ Jesus our Lord."

The next time you find yourself saying "God, why on earth would you allow this to be happening to me?" just remember that He is in control and that ALL things work together for His good, His plan and His purpose. You just never know what great thing He is grooming you to do.

In addition, if you are being abused mentally, emotionally or physically please contact the National Domestic Violence Hot line NOW at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). There are people there to help you 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. 

May God bless you all.