Caden was tired when he got home from the orthopedic center where he got treatments for cerebral palsy. The disease affected his muscles and made it difficult for him to walk and speak. He sighed as he sat down in his favorite chair. "I don't see why I have to have this disease."
Mom set her purse down. "I don't know why either, but I do know that God uses everything in our lives for good. Now come on--let's help Dad get supper on the table."
As they were eating, Dad turned to Caden. "You're not eating your vegetables. You know they're good for you."
Caden made a face. "I don't like them."
"Just finish the ones that are on your plate," said Mom.
"How did physical therapy go today?" asked Dad.
"Okay, I guess," said Caden, "but those treatments hurt! When they stretch my legs and arms, they pull really hard. I don't see why I have to go so often. I'm not sure it's helping anyway."
"We don't see the results right away, but those exercises do help you," said Dad. "If you want those muscles of yours to grow stronger and healthier, you'll have to cooperate with the therapist each time you go."
Caden sighed. "I wish God would just heal me. Then I wouldn't have to worry about all those exercises."
Mom nodded sympathetically. "It's hard to understand why God doesn't always do the things we ask Him to. We need to remember that we live in a broken world where even good things can cause us difficulties, like exercise and healthy food. But vegetables won't always taste bad and exercises won't always hurt, because one day, when Jesus comes again, He will make everything new--including our bodies. In the meantime, we need to remember that He is in control and can bring good things from the worst circumstances."
"The Bible says God's ways and thoughts are much higher than ours," Dad added. "For some reason we can't understand, He is using cerebral palsy to bring about good in your life. Can you trust Him?"
Caden nodded. "I'll ask Him to help me remember that He has a good reason for allowing me to go through this." Gordon Muscott
HOW ABOUT YOU?
Are you facing pain and difficulty in your life? Perhaps it’s an injury or disease, or maybe something bad that happened in your family. If you’re a Christian, God will use everything in your life for good, even if you can’t understand how. Trust Him to be with you when you face difficulties, and use them for good.
TODAY'S KEY VERSE: Psalm 84:11 (KJV)
No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly. (NKJV)