That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Devotion based on 2 Corinthians 12:10

How can something bad be good? Maybe you or a family member was recently diagnosed with cancer. Perhaps you lost your home in a recent hurricane or tornado. Or maybe your spouse was just laid off from work, and there is a lot less income to support the family. How can any of those things be good things?

This is perhaps where you might hear a friend sigh and say with resignation, “Everything happens for a reason.” This phrase is thrown around a lot, but it perhaps can be confusing to those who hear it. Naturally, the question is: “Well, what’s the reason?”

Rather than searching in vain to find a reason for what happened, perhaps it is better to focus on what God has done. God does have a habit of bringing good from bad. Do you need proof? Look no further than the cross. There, hanging from spikes driven through hands and feet is a man beaten and bloodied. He has been whipped, abused, and ridiculed. He has been falsely accused and executed for crimes he did not commit. That is the epitome of a bad situation.

And yet God brought so much good from it. He brought forgiveness and salvation to a world of sinners, including you. He brought eternal life to all who believe. He brought peace and joy. He brought new life to those who were lost. And he continues to bring us his loving care daily.

Whatever you are dealing with, look for God to use his strength and to bring good from it. Maybe that good will be a stronger faith for you or others. Maybe it will be a reconciled relationship. It could even be someone else coming to faith in Jesus. Whatever is making you feel weak is the perfect thing to make you strong in Jesus.

Prayer:

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All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.