God knows the plans He has for your life, and they’re meant for good. Maybe it’s hard to believe that a God with good intentions would plan each part of the life we’ve lived, but what if God’s definition of “good” is different than ours? To say that God’s plans are meant for good doesn’t mean comfortable, easy and successful. He plans to use all things for good, and that includes the messy, the confusing, and the painful parts of our lives to transform us more into the image of His Son. If God’s plan is to make us more like Jesus, we can most certainly expect trials. Thankfully, we know from Jesus’ life that there’s purpose to our pain. God didn’t rescue Noah by stopping the flood, but He did keep him safe in the waves. He didn’t save Daniel from the lion’s den, but He did protect him with the beasts at his side. God didn’t save Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego from going into a fire, but He saved them in the midst of the flames. God wants to take our pain and heartache and transform us through it.
