Now I want to tell you about another side of that story:
There was a woman (I'll call her Sally)who was having a very difficult time at her job. Sally didn't enjoy her job or anything about the job. She began praying that God would open the door for her to have a new job. I'm not sure how long she prayed for this to happen, but it was several months.
On April 26, 1993, God answered the Sally's prayer! When I was fired, Sally replaced me in my job!
God answered her prayer, but I lost my job.
I didn't know this part of the story until about three years ago, long after Tyler's bout with glaucoma. When Sally told the story about praying for a job, I was in the room, along with several other ladies. I realized what that story meant to her, but also what it meant for me. Her prayer was answered by my job loss. WOW! Isn't that an amazing thing? God's ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts!
It doesn't bother me at all that God allowed me to suffer, and with my suffering it opened a door for Sally. In fact, it makes me realize even more that it was all in God's plan. I don't know that I would have realized God's hand in it all if I had heard Sally's story right when it happend, when I was 23 years old. Maybe I would have, but I'm not sure.
So, on this Gratituesday, hosted by HeavenlyHomemakers.com, I am grateful for being FIRED! Yes, grateful. It saved Tyler's eye. It caused me to grow in my faith as a Christian. It gave Sally a new job. It confirmed to me that God's promises are always true, even when things don't make sense. It has also provided and will continue to provide a huge lesson for our children when something disappointing happens in their life: That life isn't always fair and sometimes things happen that may not seem right, but that God is in control and we must trust in Him and look to Him for strength. I am grateful for God and His promises and His plan.
Think of Joseph and his life. He was sold into slavery by his brothers. They hated him. But God took care of Joseph and when the brothers eventually found out Joseph was alive and was in charge of the palace where they had come to get food, they were ashamed and sorrowful. Yet God worked out His plan through Joseph's life:
But Joseph said to them, "Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don't be afraid. I will provide for you and your children." And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them. Genesis 50:19-21
And of course, Jesus! None of us will ever go through what He went through. And He went through it for us to live with Him in Heaven some day. Our earthly trials and suffering could never compare to His death on the cross. Thank you, God, for Your plan!!
How would it make you feel to suffer, but by your suffering, someone else is blessed? Have you ever experienced something that was bad at first, but then you were grateful?
1 comment:
I didn't know this side either, wish I had been there when she told it! Did she know your side of the story when she told hers? just curious :)
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