"Your Sept. 11th, my Sept 11th - it is ALL for GOOD! :)"

As most people are probably aware of, in 2 weeks we will be honoring the 10 year date that marks a tragic time for our nation. . . September 11. Many countless lives were changed during that time. Lives were taken and lives were given. But one thing remains. . . through all the tragedy God brings good. For an unbeliever reading this, I'm positive they would strongly disagree. For how could there be ANY good found through all of this in their eyes? But to the believer. . .we KNOW God brings good from the ashes. "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." Romans 8:28.  He strengthens, He restores. He does what only God can do. . . He heals. With this healing I believe He brings a deeper faith and an equiping to be used in greater ways than before.

Today I read a story of woman who was the very last to be rescued from the rubble. Questions formed in her mind of many "what-ifs". What if she had left the 64th floor earlier and escaped unharmed? What if the ground hadn't been falling out beneath her at the 13th floor as she was getting closer to escaping? What if she hadn't been stuck under rubble and debris for 27 hours before they could free her? She goes on to say she would have been grateful, but knew she wouldn't have looked any deeper at her life. She would've chalked her survival up to quick thinking or quick moving or plain good luck. Instead it caused her to re-evaluate her life entirely. She celebrates a relationship with God (being the very best), she also celebrates her survival, her health and her family. She volunteers with the American Red Cross, as they were there in her time of need. She lives with no fear. She knows God has changed her life to the good.

There are thousands upon thousands of stories of how God changed their lives through what was thought to be for bad. As one man put it into perspective, he referred back to the story of Joseph and his brothers. How that they betrayed him, abandoned him and sold him. "But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive."

Not only does God work through tragedy in our lives to bring good, He also works through our failures and mistakes to bring about the same. . .  good. "Christians need to see and know that failure/mistakes do NOT end your usefulness to God! For even the great ones of the faith failed, yet God continued to use them, often in a deeper way AFTER their fall. It is those who have fallen into the depths of failure to who God gives the call to shepherd others. This is not a call given only to the gifted, the highly trained, or the polished as such. Without a bitter experience of their own inadequacy and poverty, they are quite unfitted to bear the burden of spiritual ministry. It takes a person who has discovered something of the measure of his/her own weakness to be patient with the foibles (weaknesses) of others." "God brings blessings from the ashes of our failures."
<taken from a devotion>

I have not visited the first paragraph in any sort of tragic way in my lifetime. I know it would take great dependance upon our merciful God to know and believe that He would see them through regardless the pain and suffering. Faith would be deepened for sure. But just as I know faith would be deepened for them, it would also be deepened for those who have visited the second paragraph. . . for I was there. There is much to be said concerning this second paragraph, but I believe I have covered alot of it throughout my Bloggings over time. I am here to testify that God indeed does bring great GOOD from bad, wrong, evil, mistakes and when He does He uses it for His own glory for all to see! He uses it to show His strength in you, to show His deliverance in you, to show encouragement for others ..... in you. I know that God has me here to urge you on. . . . to encourage you. . . . to give you hope. . . and to tell you that no matter WHAT you have faced/are facing in life whether it be tragedy, failure or mistakes, God will use it for your good and His glory.
Trust Him. And not only trust Him, but wait on Him for it often can take awhile to turn a painful situation into a good one. He has a timetable and it's right on schedule as with everything else in His plans!! Who knows what He will reveal to you as you wait and trust Him.....it could be a higher purpose than you ever dreamed possible!

So as we look back and remember this time, September 11, 2001, let us not look back with a heart of bitterness of all the bad that went on throughout that day - but rather let us look ahead to all the lives that were forever touched in a positive way. . . to bring about God's GOOD for ourselves and His glory for all to say HOLY IS THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY!!

What has God allowed in your life that you thought was for bad but turned out for your good? I'm betting there is plenty if we take a honest look. Also plenty of grace, mercy, love, forgiveness and plenty of better- than -we- ever- could- have- been- befores! :)

I leave you with this thought: "Contentment is not governed by circumstances. Contentment comes from within. It is the knowledge that God is in control (no matter what) and He will work everything out right."

There is HOPE!