I am a list person. I have a list for just about everything. Sometimes if I forget to write something on my list, I add it just so I can cross it off. Can anyone relate? I have a grocery list. Goals list. Personal wellness list. Wish list. To-do list.
Lately, I have been adding to my list of lists! Most recently I started a gratitude list (this list will get its own post someday) and now I am working on a ‘bad to good list’. Some may call these blessings in disguise. My bad to good list is a place to write down all of the things in my life that I thought were bad at the time but actually turned out to be for my good later on. Sometimes it took days, months, or years to realize the bad actually brought me something good. There are also some things still stuck on the bad list, and I’m confident someday I will move them to my good list. It might not be on this side of life, but maybe an answer in heaven. This bad to good list is expansive, from a simple upgrade due to something breaking, to a tough time in life that brought me closer to God. When I started this list, one of my favorite verses came to mind.
Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose.
This verse says ALL THINGS work for the good. This backs up my belief that some of those bad things will bring good, even if I can’t see it yet. Taking time to think about these things has made me so appreciative and thankful. It is really amazing to see how things unfold and work out!
One very simple example is a recent experience at work. Everyone in our office has at least 2 monitors. I am not quite sure how we functioned back in the day with only 1 monitor. Seriously ineffective! Recently one of my monitors quit working. I tried everything and it just did not come to life. After a phone call with our computer tech, it was discovered the monitor was DUNZO. I found a VERY small spare monitor in an unused office I could use temporarily. Eek. I felt like I was staring at a sticky note! It was so small. Good thing I wear glasses – I needed them see this tiny monitor! Total first world problem, but working on such a small monitor was a nuisance. In talking with the technician, it was determined I could also use a new computer due to my software being so outdated. I had one of the oldest computers in the office. So, a few days later, an order was placed for a new computer, and not just 2 monitors, but 3 new monitors! I was getting an upgrade. If you have ever gone from 2 monitors to 3 monitors, you know how life-changing this can be! Now I feel a little sorry for the people who only have 2 monitors! My bad thing – my broken monitor – turned out to be a good thing – I got an extra monitor and a new computer!
Another bad to good experience involves our property. Several years ago when we were looking to move, we found some land we liked and made an offer. It was declined and we could not make a higher offer within our price range. We were so disappointed. It wasn’t long after this we found an even better piece of land for sale by owner. A few weeks later we were the proud owners of 40 acres of land. Over time we cleared the land, built a house, and this is where we live now. In retrospect, I am so glad we did not the original piece of property. It was not as nice and a little farther from my work. Plus, they recently put a gravel pit not far from that plot of land, so the road is much busier now than when we looked at it years ago. That bad turned to good and led us to the perfect piece of land that is on a quiet road, much prettier, and we have great neighbors!
2012 was a challenging year for me. It was the year I had a complicated pregnancy, my dad was diagnosed with cancer, and we were building our new house. In the end, my son was born just fine, my dad had surgery and is cancer free today, and we are living in our beautiful house. But there was A LOT that went on in between! Building a house is such a blessing, but also extremely stressful and we were running over budget and out of time. My pregnancy was full of challenges, ending in 2 months of bed rest, lots of high blood pressure, and a few scares. I trace my relationship with God back to this time. It was a turning point for me. During my dad’s surgery, I bought a journal from the hospital gift shop and started reading devotionals and writing down verses. I referred back to these during the 2 week wait for test results during my pregnancy that would confirm my son’s health. I became a lot closer with God & really relied on Him during that time. I came out in such a better place and am thankful for that year of trials!
When I think about bad turned good, I think about the story of Joseph. He could have made a SUPER LONG list of many bad things that happened to him. But again and again, those bad things led him to something good. His jealous brothers wanted to kill him and end up selling him into slavery. It didn’t take long for that bad to turn good. He went from being a slave to being in charge of everything in Potiphar’s house. But Potiphar’s wife lied about Joseph because he wouldn’t do what she wanted. So he was thrown into jail. Once again the bad turned good when he was put in charge of all the prisoners. Joseph helped out the cupbearer while he was in jail and that cupbearer promised to get him freed as well, but that didn’t happen quickly at all. Until one day Pharaoh had a dream and nobody could explain it to him. Nobody except Joseph. He gave God the credit for interpreting this dream. Pharaoh was impressed and put Joseph in charge of all of Egypt.
These are just a few examples of bad turned good, thanks to God keeping His promise of Romans 8:28. Take some time to think about all of the bad turned good in your life. And don’t lose hope if you have a long list of bad. There is still time for it to turn good!
