As I read the unsolicited popup notification from my Fitness app yesterday, I had to shake my head. "A pattern in your activity has been detected. You have moved less and burned fewer calories over the last four weeks." "Yes. I know," I thought to myself. And even the fewer workouts I had gotten in registered as an all out effort rather than the usual easy or moderate workout that had come as a result of strict training and hard work. To say then that the last month had been a discouraging and challenging one would be an understatement. My husband had a full knee replacement requiring me to be his temporary caregiver and briefly take over all of the household chores, my mother had a heart attack, and my work schedule was much busier than normal. To top it all off, I developed an extremely painful rash and overwhelming fatigue that was later diagnosed as Shingles. The virus, which affects people differently, attacked the nerve on the left side of my body--making it difficult to run without extreme effort and is still wreaking havoc as we speak.
And while I'll admit that it wasn't easy navigating the rough waters of the past several weeks, there wasn't one time when I didn't feel the presence of the Lord. This was something I was thinking about (prompted by the Fitness app notification) on my early morning run before church. After more than three weeks, I had finally regained most of the feeling in my upper leg and knee (caused by the virus) and it began to show! "Thank You Lord," I prayed as I ran in the pouring rain, feeling like the heavy weight of trial had finally been lifted, fully aware that my pace wasn't what it once was (yet) but confident that I would get back there. This thought further inspired me to smile and continue praying as I pressed on, "I know the enemy intended to harm me, 'but God'... You were always there and, once again, You proved Yourself to be faithful to provide, deliver, and restore. You have never let me down and I know that You never will."
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 NIV
And, as always, this trial (as every single one that has come before it) worked "for good." How? Rather than give in and give up, my husband and I prayed harder through it, my family pulled together because of it, and we waited more patiently and expectantly than we ever had in spite of it. And then we saw God work it all out in a way that only He could! But that's what God does!! My husband and I have even more faith than before and are more determined than ever to share the Good News of the Gospel! How's that for an attack backfiring on the enemy?
"But God"... this is what He does. “But God” brings hope when we can’t see a way through. “But God” means ashes aren’t the end of our story. And “But God” says God, not our circumstances, always gets the last word.
So, no matter what you're going through today, don't give up my friend. If the story of Joseph and his brothers, tells us anything, it tells us that God, in His perfect timing and according to His purpose, will work all things for the good of those who love Him. This certainly doesn't mean that your trial will be easy. What it does mean though is this... when you come out on the other side (and everyone who remains faithful does) of your trial, you will look back and be able to say, "But God..." and then share your story of God's faithfulness to work your situation for good and to cause the enemy's attack to backfire. And your story will inspire others to remain faithful and trust God to work their situation for good too! That's the power of God!
Heavenly Father, thank You for the promises of Genesis 50:20 and Romans 8:28. They have comforted millions of saints in the past and continue to provide comfort and hope for believers now. Thank You for NEVER failing to uphold those promises to work all things for our good and for the good of those whose lives are saved because of what You accomplish through the testing, trials, pain, and adversity of this world. Lord help us to trust You when circumstances look bleak and to remember that, in the end, "But God" will always be the outcome of every attack of the enemy. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen.
Happy Running!
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