Providence

Bob Ross was a much caricatured painter on PBS when I was growing up. You might remember him painting a "happy little flower."

When Bob began a new canvas, he would first lay down several broad strokes of color. You often would see no meaning whatsoever from these beginning brush strokes.

But as Bob worked carefully to blend the colors and to introduce an occasional new one from his palette - what had originally seemed to be meaningless began to emerge into a beautiful mountain painting.

The workings of our Father are sometimes the same.

It might appear that in a given instance there is no possible good that could come from a situation.

Then, as a skillful artist, he brings first this and then another influence to bear until something purposeful begins to emerge and some good work is done to his glory.

This is the providence of God.

God is at work on the canvas of human history.

We should not presume to know what he is attempting to achieve in a particular set of circumstances.

We are not wise enough to be critical of his methods. His workings in our lives are beyond our ability to discern (he is God and we are not), and we may not understand until, with time, we are able to look back from a distance. Like stepping ten steps back from a painting on the wall!

Beauty from chaos, victory from defeat, and life from death!

God has a track record of doing it time and again.

So don’t despair that you cannot see a resolution to your present crisis. Just continue to be trustworthy in whatever situation you find yourself. Make the best possible use of it any way you can.

Trust God to put all the pieces together in his own good time for his holy purposes.