Going Wrong to Get It Right

This was my scripture this morning: Romans 11:17-21 

17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you Gentiles, being like a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among them to share with them the rich root of the olive tree 18 do not boast over the broken branches (the Jews) and exalt yourself at their expense. If you do boast and feel superior, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root that supports you. 19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” 20 That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand by your faith as believers understanding the truth of Christ’s Godhood. Do not be conceited, but rather, stand in great awe of God and fear Him 21 for if God did not spare the natural branches because of unbelief, He will not spare you either.

It's funny - we think that in order to succeed and be successful, every little thing must go our way.

Sorry to burst your bubble:  NOT!

Lemme explain. 

The scriptures you see here, let us know that God's own people had to be moved out of the way so that the rest of the world could partake in salvation.  It sounds kinda bad, doesn't it?  What parent would move their own child, that they love, out of the way for someone else's child to be blessed? Paul said that the branches of the Israelites were broken off so that we could be grafted in.  It was our faith in God that allowed us to be grafted in.

God did it for us. And He will keep on doing it.

And even we as Christians, God sometimes has to allow the bad things to happen to us in order for us to get to the good.  Sometimes, we have to get a "no" or "not yet", before we hear a "yes".  How else would we recognize good if we didn't encounter the bad?  Sometimes we have to go through in order to get out. And sometimes, we have to fall to know we can fly.  We'd never praise Him or thank Him if it always went our way.  

An old gospel song says it like this: "God has not promised me sunshine, that's not the way it's going to be, but a little rain, mixed with God's own sunshine, a little pain, makes me appreciate the good times."

My message to you today is this:  praise Him for being able to recognize the wrong, the bad, and the mess.  If you can see it, you'll know to pray.  And understand, you'll get through it all if your focus remains on Him.  Then He can take you to the good.