“The best” vs “the ideal”
“Do not worry about tomorrow” This is the words spoken by Christ 2000 years ago. Yet, it seems he knew the anxiousness and worries of the people living in modern world. Of course, no one wants to be worried, yet there are situation which lead us to worry.
Christ said “do not worry”, but he also added the following words in Matthew 6:26, “look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” This “valuable” can be translated as “the best”. However, one might question “how can it be the best when I am suffering in this situation.” Yet, what I want you to know is that God leads us to “the best”, not “the ideal” situation.
The Bible talks about Joseph and Job who suffered so much in their lives. They endure unfamiliar suffering, and spend long time in their lives with hardships. However, such hardships became useful, guided them to have matureness in their character, and they were led to a happy life that they could forget such hardships. Of course, when they were suffering, their lives were not “ideal.” Yet, when they look back such time, they can say that it was “the best.”
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, (Rome 8:28)”
You may be in the middle of suffering. I pray that you will be led to the best by God who created you and love you.
Senior Pastor Masao Nakanishi
