March 05, 2021: Good Things Happen in Our Lives as Well as Bad Things. How Are We to Respond to God?

In reading this morning in "Our Daily Bread", we are reminded how God is in control of all things in our lives, good and bad.

There is an old Chinese proverb which teaches that a difficulty can be a blessing in disguise and vice versa. This ancient wisdom has a close parallel in Ecclesiastes 6:12, where the author observes: “Who knows what is good for a person in life?” Indeed, none of us know what the future holds. A bad event might have a positive benefit, and positive event might have an ill effect.

Each day offers new opportunities, joys, struggles, and suffering. As God’s beloved children, we can rest in His sovereignty and trust Him through the good and bad times alike. God has “made the one as well as the other” ( Ecclesiastes 7:14). He is with us in all the events in our lives and promises His loving care.

Ecclesiastes 7: 13-14

Consider what God has done: Who can straighten what He has made crooked? 14 When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider this: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, no one can discover anything about their future.

This verse says that, "Therefore, no one can discover anything about their future". If this is true...How is a person to live out his or her life before our God? Do we live our lives worrying of what might happen to us...or do live our lives thoughtless and irresponsible in everything we do? Either choice is reckless and unfruitful.

We must come before our God in "full and absolute surrender" in His sovereignty...In knowing and fully understanding that God controls all things in our lives. If we come to understand and accept God sovereignty in our lives, we have no need to worry about the future because God is in control of it. Let us not forget what the Apostle Paul says in the Book of Romans:

Romans 8: 28

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

PERSONNAL COMMENT:

May we all come to rest in the "arms of God" and find the peace we truly seek. Let us "surrender all" before our God and not worry of either the "good or bad" things in our lives. Let us also share about this "rest" we have found with others as well.