Last Christmas a friend gave me a Max Lucado daily devotional based on his book “He Chose The Nails”, a book that I had read early on in my prison sentence. There was a paragraph in the book that really grabbed hold of me at the time I read it, I saw it again in the devotional and I would like to share it with you.

He wrote, the Bible says that “In everything God works for the good of those who love him.” Remove the word everything, and replace it with the symbol of your tragedy. How would Romans 8:28 read in your life? In hospital stays God works for the good. In divorce papers God works for the good. In a prison term God works for the good.

After reading this I think you can understand why it grabbed me. Max Lucado made me feel like that paragraph was written for me. He reassured me that if I kept following God’s lead something good would come from it.

Several months ago I met a man who had terminal cancer. He began to tell me how after his chemotherapy he would be so worn out and cold he would need to lie in bed for hours. He would use the time to commune with God. He told me as he spoke to God he could feel God’s radiance shining on him and he was no longer cold. I believe he was trying to tell me that even fighting cancer God works for the good of those who Love Him.

What’s your story? You already know mine. Are you struggling with something? Remove the word everything, and replace it with the symbol of your tragedy. Give it up to God. God can turn any tragedy into triumph. Go ahead fill in the blank.

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