Through It All

How can afflictions bring glory? How can a torn ACL bring blessings? Could losing your starting spot end up bringing joy? All these situations seem to be at odds with one another.

It’s hard to imagine a world where a torn ACL could be a blessing. Most of the time, we see it as a devasting injury, which, at the moment, is just that. Looking further, we might see the hope of goodness after all.

Paul wrote the book of Ephesians in prison. In chapter 3, He wrote to the church in Ephesus to not give up hope because of the troubles that He was going through. Paul encouraged them that he had complete confidence that what He was going through would be used to advance God’s Kingdom. Paul didn’t know that the letters He wrote in prison (Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians, and Philemon) would become books of our Holy Bible. He did know that God would use His imprisonment in Rome to advance the Gospel; He didn’t know how.

Do you have that level of confidence in God’s plans? Can you see past the affiliations of your current circumstances and believe that what you are going through right now will be used for God’s Kingdom?

Having this hope doesn’t mean that things won’t be difficult, but knowing this truth in your heart will help you keep fighting through the difficulties, knowing there is already victory in Christ.