God will bring you out better

    James was in jeopardy of losing the gift and talent the Lord had given him. He had developed and was enjoying a blossoming career as a voice actor when one day, he woke up and discovered that he had no voice. He and his wife found out that they had black mould in their new home. Blood tests revealed six different types of mould in his bloodstream, one of which was a very dangerous mould. He had been experiencing brain fog and memory loss along with a failing voice. He remembers the day he went to the doctor and was told he had to stop speaking. He prayed, “God please don’t let this be the worst day of my life.”
    James underwent extensive therapy to regain his voice. He went to different doctors who wanted to put him on various types of medication but warned him that his voice might not be as good as before. He decided to take a very pro-active and holistic approach. He changed his diet, his exercise and the way he lived, in an attempt to cleanse his system of the mould. He acknowledged that he had been given a wonderful gift from God but he had not been doing it right. God needed to correct that, even by using what was shocking to his system. However, he was able to retrain his voice to be stronger than it was before. 
    One day, while going through the paper work for the adoption, an interesting detail caught his attention. It turns out that the day he received the news from the doctor about his voice, was the exact same day the little girl they were adopting was born. God had turned things around. He turned the worst day of his life into his best day! God was showing Him that He was always listening and that the things we might think are our hardest journeys are really to build us up and make us stronger for the next journey. He is now enjoying using his voice to share the love of Jesus.
    I am encouraged by this story because we see a man in danger of losing the gift God has given him. Some of us can probably relate to this story. God has blessed you with the ability to do great things for Him and you know it. Yet, challenges, obstacles are coming your way to sabotage, even abort, God’s plan and purpose for your life. It can be discouraging as you wonder if you will ever make it through this season, if you will ever be able to accomplish God’s purpose for your life. 
    I always come back to David’s life. He had been anointed to be the new king of Israel, yet challenges and obstacles way bigger than him, consistently presented themselves, bent on preventing him from doing what he had been anointed to do. He faced rejection, betrayal and even death. He must have wondered many times if he would ever make it. But God…! David learned to lean heavily on God during his trying times and seasons. Sometimes I think God was His only true support and strength. James and his wife must have felt that way at times. They learned to lean on God heavily, relying on Him to get them through that season. God expects the same of us. When our backs are against the wall, God and God alone will help us to make it. 
    I like the fact that James admits that his voice became stronger than it was before. It’s an interesting thing when the trial that we go through makes us stronger than we were before the trial took place. God has an amazing way of bringing us out better than before. It’s as if the gift and talent God gave James, God refined and perfected in the fires of adversity. That’s the kind of thing God does. As James himself realised, tough journeys make us stronger for the next journey or battle that comes our way. I have realised that nothing that we go through is in vain. God uses it all, both good and bad to bring about good in our lives and to enhance this life He has given us. Only God! So, as you go through your challenge today, remember that God is able to and will use it for good!
    If you have not accepted Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Lord and Saviour, I encourage you to do so today. God is not in the habit of taking away the gifts and talents He has given us … even when challenges come our way. He is well able to perfect that which concerns us as He helps us fulfil His plan and purpose for our lives. 

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