Persecution or Blessing by Mayada Naami
You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives (Genesis 50:20, NIV).
Have you ever been in a situation where you felt like you were being persecuted and then realized, in hindsight, that it was a blessing? I have, and still experience these moments today.
One instance occurred in 2016; my dad was very ill and thinking it was going to be his last Christmas, I booked a flight to visit him in Montreal from December 22nd to December 29th. At the time I was the General Manager of a restaurant, and for the previous five years, always took that week of Christmas off because it was a slow week. After booking the flight, I informed my boss, and for the first time in five years, she declined my request. She said it was not fair to the other managers that I always took that week off—she approved the week before or the week after—but not the week of Christmas. I was disappointed since it never had been an issue. She knew my immediate family lived in Canada and I visited them once a year during the holidays. Nevertheless, I called the airline company to change the flight and was pleasantly surprised when the person on the line waived the change fee because she heard I was visiting my ill dad. I ended up flying into Canada the night of December 15th and went straight to the hospital. I spent the night with my dad, letting my mom go home and get some rest. The next morning at 8 a.m., my dad took his last breath. At that moment I realized how God uses every circumstance, good or bad, to bless us. If my “mean” boss had allowed me my usual vacation, I would never have spent that last night with my dad.
Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 34, NIV).
God knows what is best for us even when we don’t. The Bible promises us He will give us the desires of our hearts when we take delight in Him. We must trust Him while praising and worshipping Him daily. At first, I was upset with my boss when she told me I couldn’t visit my family at Christmas, but I immediately trusted that God would work things out. In doing so, and not fighting back, I was able to spend the last night on earth with my dad and fed him his favorite thing to eat, ice cream, before he went to be with His Father in heaven. What a blessing it turned out to be. What the enemy meant for evil, God uses for good!
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 (Romans 8:28, NIV).