Not A Stop Sign But A Stepping Stone

He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.Psalm 40:2

I can not remember who I heard this illustration from but tragedies, set backs, losses of any kind are not meant to be stop signs in your life but stepping stones.

Not hitting the home run to win the World Series could seem like a tragic thing for a Major League Baseball player but indeed God can use that to go to the next level. Getting furloughed from a job or passed over for promotion indeed seems awful but I knew of a man once who ended up meeting the girl who would later become his wife as a result. Being born without limbs was eventually the doorway for ministry to Nick Vujivic. 

God takes scars and turns them into stars if you don’t end up getting mad and running away from him.Ask God what he wants to teach you in these seasons of life. Ask him to redeem the time the enemy has stolen. Pray for those who have been unable to bounce back from tragedies that seem unfair to them. During your time of pain try reaching out to those whose heart is also broken. 

PRAYER: I am ever so grateful Lord for things in my life that you used to get me to a higher level and ultimately help others. I ask you to bring comfort to those whose tragedy like the death of a child or sibling seems more than they can handle. Guide these people into a ministry to help others and lift them from their anguish. In Jesus’ name. Amen.