Thankful for the "Bad"? 
By Mike Rule

"I am sure that what we are suffering now cannot compare with the glory that will be shown to us." (Romans 8:24 CEV)

It all began last Monday when I had lunch with a friend. Being as I try to eat as healthy as I can, I ordered a simple Italian salad, which consisted of lettuce, cheese, pepperoni, and various peppers and vegetables. Everything tasted okay and the rest of the day went on just fine. However, Tuesday was a different story. On Tuesday I struggled all day with stomach cramps and severe diarrhea. I assumed that I must have caught a flu bug, and would be better by Wednesday. WRONG! Food poisoning can take days to get over. I was sure glad I was trying to eat healthy! :-)

When I woke up Wednesday morning I still felt awful. It concerned me because I was supposed to leave that morning to spend the rest of the week with my son and his troop at Boy Scout Camp in Northern Michigan. The troop was depending on me, as I would be the only adult counselor there until Thursday afternoon. I knew this was going to be an interesting time as the camp had no modern restroom facilities and the outhouses and port-a-potties would be very "ripe" smelling by this point in the summer. This was not going to be fun. As I drove the two-hour trip to camp, I reflected on why God had brought this particular nuisance into my life at this time. Perhaps it was preparation for my international travels next year, and preparation for functioning in ministry when not feeling good. I surely did not know, but knew He had a reason.

By Thursday evening, I was feeling really lousy and had to excuse myself from dinner to lie down because the nausea was getting to be more than I could handle. As I lay there in bed, I asked God, "Lord, did I really need this now?" This was not part of my plan for this week. I didn’t want to feel sick. I didn’t want to have to lie around camp and rest much of the time. I was never sure when the next wave of stomach cramps would come on and I did not want to struggle through each day always having to keep in mind where the nearest port-a-potty was. God really did not answer me, yet I knew He had a reason for allowing this into my life, and even if I never understood I knew I could trust Him. Even in the illness, I could see His grace and mercy because I was never far from bathroom facilities when I needed them.

It is easy to receive the good things in life from the hand of God, but when things come along that we define as "bad" or make us suffer, it is not so easy to trust God. But God clearly promises that He works all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

"Christ has also introduced us to God’s undeserved kindness on which we take our stand. So we are happy, as we look forward to sharing in the glory of God. But that’s not all! We gladly suffer, because we know that suffering helps us to endure. And endurance builds character, which gives us a hope that will never disappoint us. All of this happens because God has given us the Holy Spirit, who fills our hearts with his love." (Romans 5:2-5 CEV)