God Can Turn It Around
“I am sorry, but we are going to have to let you go.” “I wish you were not my parent!” “I feel disrespected in this relationship.” “There is nothing more we can do for your mother.”
Have you ever had to go through something in your life that was so hard that it caused you to mourn? In fact, the pain was so deep you’ve been crying over it for days, weeks, months, or perhaps even years? Your situation is so deep your heart is aching.
This was the case for a woman in the Bible. In Luke 7, a woman, a widow actually, was attending the funeral procession for her only son. I am sure the pain she was carrying over the death of her son was heavy.
Can you imagine having to deal with the death of a husband and now the death of a son?
Why does God allow us to go through trouble after trouble? It just doesn’t make sense.
Maybe, you’ve lost your job, and now your marriage is a mess. You’ve lost your health and now your parent is sick. You’ve lost a friendship, and now your car doesn’t work? It just doesn’t make sense.
Remember, the woman who was attending her son’s funeral? In that story, the Bible says that amongst her grief, Jesus saw her and had compassion for her.
Let’s just stop and reflect on this profound act from God. I love the fact that Jesus is not a woman and he has no son, but he takes the time to see her and understand her pain. Perhaps you’ve been feeling like nobody in your life can understand your pain, not your family or friends. The good news is God sees you and he has compassion for you. Even though nobody else cares about your pain, God cares about your pain.
In the story, what is interesting is Jesus says to her, “Don’t cry”. Now you would think, that because she is in pain that the natural course of action is to cry. Rightfully so. Yet, Jesus says to her “Don’t cry”. Why does Jesus say this to her? Because Jesus knows how her story is going to end.
Perhaps the LORD is saying the same thing to you. You’ve been crying over your pain, because it is real, but maybe, just maybe it’s time to release that pain to God and get ready for what God has in store for you.
What does God have in store for you? The same God who sees you, has compassion for you, and is telling you not to cry, is the same God who can turn your situation around. He can change your pain. He can move your mourning into dancing (Psalm 30:11). He can turn your weeping into joy (Psalm 30: 5). He can give you beauty for ashes (Isaiah 61:3).
That is what Jesus did for this widow and grieving woman. Jesus placed his hand on the coffin and called the dead son to life and he began to talk. Amazing!
In your personal life, Jesus can turn your situation around. Jesus can heal you, give you a new job, a new relationship, change your kids, provide for your needs, save your loved one. He can turn it around!
Right now, your situation does not look good, but God can change it.
God sees your pain. God has compassion over your pain. God does not want you to cry over your pain, but he knows how your story is going to end. God can turn your situation around.
When Jesus turned the widow woman’s situation around, the Bible says the people praised the LORD for his goodness.
We also can also praise God when he does the miracle in our life. In fact, I challenge you to praise God now before the miracle. Here’s why: because even though we don’t understand why we have to go through what we go through, one thing we can be sure of is God is good. We don’t worship him for what he does in our life, we worship him for who he is.
Today give your pain to God. This woman in the story thought she was permanently burying her son, but God intervened and brought her son to life. Whatever you thought was dead in your life, God can turn it around and bring it to life.
Dear Jesus. Thank you for seeing my pain and showing me compassion. Thank you that you can do all things. I pray that you will help me through my situation and bring full restoration to my pain in your way, in your time, for your purpose. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
