ECCLESIASTES 7:13 – Consider the work of God: who can make straight what he has made crooked?

THEME OF THE DAY. THE CROOK IN OUR LOTS. The title for today’s nugget comes from two sources. First, the scripture of the day penned by Solomon. The second is from a book written by a Puritan pastor named Thomas Boston who lived from 1676 to 1732. His book is titled The Crook in the Lot: The Sovereignty and Wisdom of God Displayed in the Afflictions of Men.

The premise in both books is that life has many “crooks” in it. Or we may expound that to say, “Life is hard, full of troubles, suffering and sorrow. God has ordained it to be so because of the curse of sin. It will not change and no matter how hard we try to make life ‘straight’ with no problems or pains, God will ensure there are crooks that cannot be straightened by us.” I know this makes some Christians uncomfortable, even combative, when we say that suffering is part of God’s plan for His children. But the Biblical reality is that God does make His children suffer. He does send pain into our lives. Jesus suffered and it is foolish for us to think we are to live suffering-free in this life. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians the reality and certainty of suffering for the Christian in this life – For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake (Philippians 1:29). Yes, friends, God will ensure crooks are in our lives. And when we think we have it hard, ponder what Thomas Boston endured as his crooks in life. His wife suffered physical and mental illness for many years. He buried six of his ten children. Not to mention the persecution he endured for preaching the Gospel. So, let’s allow Pastor Boston who knew many painful crooks in his life to share three wise insights about them.

First, whatever is our crook or difficulty in life, comes from God. We rejoice in God’s sovereignty when all is well in life, but do we rejoice when the crook in life is upon us? God is sovereign, not over some things, but all things and that includes every trial, every affliction, every difficulty that comes into our lives (Ephesians 1:11). We must believe and submit to this Biblical truth because our joy in suffering depends upon it. God is not only sovereign but loving and good . . . all the time, even in sorrowing times.

Next, whatever is our crook or difficulty in life, God controls its duration and purpose. Nothing which comes into our lives is meaningless. Every single event, circumstance, situation, relationship, trial, and affliction has divine purpose. Again from the pen of the Apostle Paul . . . And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28). God knows what that painful crook in our lives will accomplish and it will remain until His purpose in us is fulfilled. There is great comfort in this truth. Suffering is hard, but it is meaningful and will produce spiritual fruit that could not appear without the crook.

Finally, whatever is our crook or difficulty in life, God uses it to make us humble. The chief virtue in the Christian life for all and any spiritual growth is humility. Pride is ugly and stops all fellowship with God and growth in Christ. The crooks which God sends into our lives are designed to purge pride and develop humility. How does this work? Crooks or difficulties from God are always beyond our strength and ability to change or remove. As we realize this, humble dependency on God develops. We really do see how frail and weak we are when painful crooks come into our lives.

We each have crooks in our lives. God sent them. God controls them. God works through them. Let’s learn to submit to them with a willing and glad heart.

PRAYER: “Father, forgive me when I complain because things in my life are not the way I want them.”

QUOTE: “God’s way are not our ways and that is a very good thing for His ways are always the best ways”