"Every experience God give us
every person he put in our lives,
is the perfect preparation
for the future"
-Corrie ten Boon
"God doesn't waste anything." I was speaking with someone dear to my heart about if our decisions in life defines who we are as individuals. We came to the conclusion that they don't. The reason being that there are decisions that we may have made 10 years ago, yet we would not make the same ones today because we are different than who we were 10 years ago. BUT it does seem that past decisions do shape and form you into the person you are today; whether good or bad. Yet even the bad can be used for God's glory if we allow him to do so. About three years ago I was in college and in shambles because I had changed my direction of study from Nursing to Communication and I felt as though my world had fallen apart. Yet one sweet dear friend told me "God doesn't waste anything." And I have kept that in my heart and will continue to do so until I'm dead and have gone on to glory. At the moment my friend was telling me this, she was speaking of classes that I had, had to take for Nursing school and what would transfer over to the Communication field of study. Yet she wasn't just talking about classes but certain skills that I had learned while obtaining my license to be a Nurses Aid (which was a part of the Nursing program). The school I attended made sure that we realized that we weren't just caring for a "thing" in order to get paid but we were caring for an individual created by God that needed tender love and the best care possible. And no matter what the task or skill, no matter how gross, disgusting or "low" it might be, we "can do all things through Christ who strengthens us" ("as long as I have my gloves on") as my instructer would say. ;) My friend helped me to realize that those long hard hours, days, weeks, semesters, and years of studying one particular field was not a waste despite the raised eyebrows, questions, and surprised looks by many upon hearing the news.
What I'm trying to say is that we can learn from every single situation we're in; good or bad. Had a bad courting/dating relationship-learn from it. Have a dear friend that you still love but don't really talk to as much-learn what you can from that friendship and how it was beneficial for the both of you. Strayed away from the direction God wanted you to be going-learn from that situation. Were you involved in a ministry that flopped-learn from it. Have you invested in someone to suddenly have them turn their back on you-learn from it. Had a job you disliked-learn from it. God doesn't waste anything and he is more than able to bring beauty from ashes. He is the potter and we are the clay.
I concur. Racism shows me that love is shallow when it's only skin deep. Robberies show me how futile it is place value on the tangible. Slander against me makes me value truth the more. Betrayal teaches me pain, but in view with God's word, it also teaches me mercy and forgiveness and to be more trustworthy. It's hard not to be encourage by the fact that God can use every our hardest times and worst mistakes for HIS glory.
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