It’s All Good…Until It’s Not

Posted on June 11, 2020 by Catey Stover in Victory Call

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son…(Romans 8:28-29 NASB)

 

“It’s all good…until it’s not,” commented my friend recently.

We were newbies with a big vision, no experience, and little understanding of pastoral ministry.  We knew God called us as He opened this door for us to step out of our jobs and into ministry.  Everyone seemed to like us.  The people complimented my husband’s preaching, asked me to play the piano and loved on our babies.  It was all good. …until it wasn’t.

A situation arose that put my young pastor husband in a very difficult position.  In hindsight, we would have handled the situation differently, but at the time, it seemed like the right thing to do.  Something had happened, and the family involved didn’t want anyone else to know.  We were put in a painfully difficult dilemma, unable to disclose information to the parties involved.  Looking back, there were some “red flags,” and “we should haves” that come to mind.

Ultimately the truth was revealed (not by us).  Sadly, in the process, people were offended and the church was impacted.  Friends misunderstood.  We were drained emotionally and spiritually. It was one of the most painful seasons in my life as a pastor’s wife.

Through that first excruciatingly painful ministry experience and others that would follow, we learned wisdom in better loving and serving God’s people.  We learned that suffering produces character.  We learned that anger will destroy us if we allow a root of bitterness to take hold. We learned the importance of forgiveness and the imperative of perseverance.

Whenever God is at work, the enemy seeks to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10), yet the Holy Spirit is working all things for good to make us more like Jesus (Romans 8:28-29).  The good news is this church has remained strong and fruitful many years later and the Lord has allowed us many more years to serve Him.

I can truly say, “It’s all good” because God has used the “until it’s not” times to conform us to the image of His Son.  He will do the same for you!   For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13 NASB), making you more like Jesus every day!

 

This devotional was taken from America’s Keswick’s “Real Life for Real Victory Volume 3”. If you would like to order a copy of the 365 Devotional book, please call (800) 453-7942.

Written by Kim Olachea Kim Olachea served as a pastor’s wife for 35 years in NC, GA, and NJ. In 2018, she and her husband transitioned from local church ministry to serve full time with DisciplePath. Kim is an entrepreneur and the owner of Online Bookkeeping Solutions. She is a speaker, writer, and founder of ProverbWise and Pastors’ Wives, EveryDay Lives. She and her husband, Dr. Joe Olachea, lead teaching tours to Israel and Greece, with a unique emphasis on discipleship. Kim enjoys writing, reading, playing the piano, walking, and a few good days at the beach. Her most fulfilling roles include being wife of Joe, mom to five adult children, and grandma to seven adorable, nearly perfect grandchildren. Joe and Kim are loving life in New Bern, NC.

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Think About This: “Human fellowship can go to great lengths, but not all the way. Fellowship with God can go to all lengths.” – Oswald Chambers

The Daily Bible Reading: Psalms 108-112| You can download our 2020 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here. 

This Week’s Verse to Memorize: ¹⁸ And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Go ^[c]therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” ^[d]Amen. –Matthew 28:18-20

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the doctrinal and theological views held by America’s Keswick.