What is Good?

"For we know that God works all things for the good of those who love Him, those who have been called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28

Sometimes what I see as "good" does not match up to what God sees as "good". Things that are "good" in my mind are health, an easy life, good friendships, etc. God, though, sometimes sees fit to give me hardships that make me stronger and more clearly a reflection in His Son's image. It is good for me to go through trials, yet in the midst of them, I do not see it that way.

I have read about believers in other parts of the world who are being pursecuted because of their faith in Jesus. They do not ask for God to take the pursecution away - they actually ask for pursecution! They said that they felt blessed that God saw fit to use them as tools to witness to the world through their suffering. They found their pain "good". That blew me away when I first read that. It has changed my perspective on suffering and how God can use it for others' and my own good.

-Aylin