The Best Brought Out by the Worst

Good morning, everyone. My name is chatty Allen, and welcome to day 9 of this 21 day devotional, Restart Your Heart, with the Pentecostals of Murfreesboro. I'm glad that you could join us as we go through this devotional. Each day someone new will walk through one day of the devotional, and I encourage you to go back and catch up on the previous days if you haven't already.

Today the title of our devotion is "The Best Brought Out by the Worst." Our scripture passages from the book of Romans, chapter 8, verses 27 and 28, and they read: "Now he who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because he makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called be called according to his purpose."

Sometimes the best in us can only be brought out by the worst done to us. This statement is very true, but it can be extremely difficult to live through. And I think we could all agree, it's without question that life is going to be hard sometimes, and we know that offenses will come. Oftentimes the deepest wounds come from those we have loved and we have trusted. Sometimes it takes the worst to release the best in us, and God never intends for the painful experiences in your life to destroy you.

Forgiveness isn't always easy, and actually most of the time it's very difficult. There will be painful situations in life that will take many, many prayers and a determined effort to take the high road. Forgiveness takes a commitment from us every day. We have to choose to let it go, and don't give up until you find yourself able to pray earnestly for that person. Pray for the strength to do this thing. We'll help you start the process. Start today. Pray, then pray again. Ask the Lord to help your response and help your emotions when you hear your offender's name mentioned. We know he can heal us so that we have the ability to fully forgive.

As some of you know, I love to garden, and I love plants. I have many that I attend to both inside and outside of my home. And one of my favorite plants is this mint plant that I keep in my kitchen. And I could keep this plant simply for its display, a foliage, and admire how pretty it looks when it's placed near a window. But mint has more to offer than just looking pretty. When the leaves of the mint plant are crushed, our pressed together, they release an aromatic oil that is beneficial and soothing to our bodies in our minds. And it's also a wonderful addition to our night time T. But pressure applied has a way of releasing or extracting the best in us, just as the pressure applied to this little plant can release the wonderful oil contained in its leaves.

Some offenses may apply mild pressure, like this leaf that's in my hand — doesn't have a whole lot of pressure here — and it can be the — what we might consider a little offence, something that's not huge, but, you know, bothers us just a little bit. But then there are other offenses that make us feel as though we are being broken down — mortar and pestle, maybe even a hammer. Sometimes old extraction is more complex, and it needs to include solvents or extreme pressure to assist in this process. And the Lord may have allowed someone into your life, a solvent, to aid in your extraction process. You may feel that extreme pressure and wonder if you will make it through. It certainly doesn't feel good in the moment, and your heart may be left feeling battered, broken, and bruised.

But I hope to encourage you today: just as the scripture said to us earlier, that all things work together for good to those who love God, our pain will not be wasted. He has a plan for you and for me, and we can trust him even when we can't make sense of what is happening to us. So stay the course. Don't give up. And remember, sometimes our best is only brought to the surface when the worst comes. Your dearly loved by him today.

Let's pray together. Lord, I thank you for your word. I thank you for this day. Lord, I pray that you would speak to our hearts today, that you would gently remind us how much you love us, how much you're willing to help us, that your strength is sufficient no matter what situation we find ourself in. Lord, circumstances come, and they bring pressure, and sometimes they bring pain, and they bring hurt. And Lord, we know that offenses are going to come in this life. That ask that you would help each and every one of us today to make a decision to look to you, to rely on your strength and not our own, and to never give up, to always persist and always hope, and to always choose love. Lord, you're so good to us. I pray you blessings on each of us today. Keep us in your care. We love you and we praise you. In the name of Jesus we pray, amen.

Thank you for joining me for day nine of the best brought out — day 9, "The Best Brought Out by the Worst." Take some time today to read the devotional for yourself if you haven't already, and then join us live again tomorrow, and said I am, with day 10, as we discuss "The Struggle Is Real."