For The Good

I try to read a chapter in two different books as a part of my time with The Lord every night. Tonight, one verse kept making it's appearance. It's one of my favorites and it has definitely gotten me through a lot of times.

"And we know that God causes

everything to work together

for the good of those who love God

and are called according to

his purpose for them."

Romans 8:28 [NLT]

When my dad passed away unexpectedly almost 8 years ago, our pastor gave us this verse to cling to. And it has been a constant in my head ever since. 

One author pointed out that it says the word "everything". I never really thought about it before. He causes EVERYTHING--good, bad, even just so so--to work together for the good of those who love Him. 

That. Blows. My. Mind. 

Everything that happens to me is for my good. Wow. 

As hard as it is, sometimes, for me to wrap my mind around it, God took my Daddy for a specific reason. And I know this: I wouldn't be the person that I am today without that part of my journey. I wouldn't have the struggles that I have right now. I wouldn't be wonderful friends/mentors with certain people had I not lost my Dad. So many things about my life now would be different. 

Sometimes, when I'm remembering my dad on a good day, I will sit and just think about what my life would be like now and in the past almost 8 years. And sometimes, it's really hard to think about it. It's hard to think about what life would be like. Because. Well. I'll never know. 

But this verse. It has gotten me through. All I can tell you all out there is...God is who He says He is. He is the same God as when I was born over 25 years ago. He was the same God when my parents were having trouble and I asked my Dad to leave my mom if that's what he wanted. He was the same God when we lost our business. When my Dad fell. When his health didn't improve. When he died. And my God is the same today. And He will be the same tomorrow. And even in 25 more years. 

I love that.