God Can Use Dark Times for Good
By Rick Warren
“We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9 NLT).
None of us are exempt from suffering, loneliness, discouragement, or unjust criticism. Why?
Because those are things Jesus experienced, and we need to experience them too for God to develop the character of Christ in us.
Does this mean God causes tragedies? No. God is good, and he will not cause evil or do evil. But God can use dark and stressful times like these for good. He can use our current troubles to teach us to trust him, to show us how to help others, and to draw us closer to other believers.
The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 4:8-9, “We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed” (NLT).
So, what should you do when you’re going through difficult times?
First, refuse to be discouraged. Then, remember God is with you. Finally, rely on God’s protection and guidance.
God’s light shines even in the darkest shadows.
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This devotional © 2018 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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