I will never forget the days I spent reflecting on the Bible book of Job. There were times of strong fascination with what it taught me about God and other times I contemplated giving up on my study. But when I finished the book, I wept like a baby. I was so broken. As I looked back on the storyline, I realized how God purposefully allowed Satan to use severe pain and frustration in Job to shape him for his future.
As you look back on your life, I’m sure you can name encounters that shaped your future. My parent’s intense passion for God influenced me to the extent I share the same passion. On the other hand, dad’s insistence that I move with the family in the middle of my senior year of high school led to an inability to trust people. It took the Holy Spirit revealing to me that if I had remained with all my friends while my family moved, I probably would not have married Connie. My perception of God was transformed by that awakening revelation. But this experience also influenced my inability to trust others. How He works with humanity has fascinated me through the years.
God employs life’s events, whether good or bad, to shape us. He uses money, divorce, education, colleagues, sickness, misfortune, failures, and successes are just a few scenarios that contribute. God intends for those formative experiences to make us more like Him. However, Satan and his minions have cruelly used them to twist our attitudes and expectations for our future. I know an outgoing and athletic young woman who became paralyzed below the waist after a devastating accident. With immense admiration, I have watched her develop into a bubbly leader with a compassionate attitude towards life in response to her tragedy.
I marvel at Joni Ericson Tada, who had a tragic accident ending up being paralyzed from her neck down, yet has pressed through it to become a substantial source of motivation with her art (painting with a brush in her mouth) and the books she has written. Nick Vujicic, born without arms or legs, inspires thousands with his positive attitude. Similarly, it saddened me to hear about a young father’s devastating car accident. He and his wife grew angry and bitter. They allowed it to destroy their marriage, friendships and family relationships. I’ve witnessed how bankruptcy, rejection, and misunderstanding can devastate individuals and their loved ones. How you, as an individual, interpret these critical experiences will decide whether they make you a better or bitter person. The bottom line is our future is in our own hands. We can choose to be a victim or become a hero.
Make a list of all the good and not so good, life-changing experiences you’ve faced. Then slowly reflect on how you allowed each one to contribute to your current condition. I’m always amazed at how God can masterfully weave good and unfortunate experiences into a stunning trophy of His grace. David wrote, He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand (Psalm 40:2, NIV). … Your salvation requires you to turn back to me and stop your silly efforts to save yourselves. Your strength will come from settling down in complete dependence on me… (Isaiah 30:15, MSG). He safeguards the steps of his faithful ones, but wicked people are silenced in darkness because humans cannot succeed by their own strength (1 Samuel 2:9, GW)