Purpose Recipe

God Uses It All for His Purposes

I don’t pretend to know the will of God, why things happen the way that they do, or why some people suffer more than others. Trying to make sense of the “why’s” in any given circumstance only leaves me sifting through more questions. Ultimately, as I’ve grown more in my faith and have experienced more of life, I’ve learned to lean into Romans 8:28. In the uncertain times, I wholeheartedly trust the Lord like I trust a solid pie or casserole recipe.

Grandma’s Fudge Pie

-1 ¼ stick of butter 1 teaspoon vanilla

-1 cup of sugar 3 tablespoons cocoa

-2 eggs ¾ cups flour

Sounds delicious, doesn’t it? This warm, gooey, chocolate fudge pie is a childhood favorite of mine, but when you think about the consumption of each ingredient by itself, there’s nothing appetizing about it. Raw eggs, white sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, and flour by themselves are just gross; but mixing them together with some butter, gives you a decadent treat.

I’ve learned to apply this analogy of a recipe to the pieces of my own life. Have you ever just felt like some of life’s ingredients leave you feeling sick, overwhelmed, and without an appetite? Even if I tried to understand a moment of pain and confusion while I was in, I could never comprehend the purpose of why things were happening the way they were.

I mixed together a job I absolutely hated with the most supportive partner on the planet, living in a city I didn’t connect with, splashing in dashes of family drama. I can’t forget also adding in the death of a parent stirred in with a pandemic for extra flavor. I experienced painful experience after painful experience on a personal and professional level while reeling in grief and adjusting to a “new normal.”

In these past several seasons, I didn’t see it. I truly didn’t. The tears and frustration were real and palpable. After a horrible run-in with a colleague that shook me to the core, I knew that even if I couldn’t see it now, God was preparing a feast in the presence of my enemies and adding another ingredient into the recipe of my life. I knew because God promises that He will use it all for His glory and my good. There may be no method to the madness, but the all-wise Creator of the universe purposes it in a way that only a master baker can.

In the most awkward or difficult of circumstances that I couldn’t understand, I look back now and see that God’s perfect wisdom is truly known in retrospect. I can now see how the Lord has used it all, the good, bad, and ugly, baking it all together in His perfect timing.

Reflection

What circumstances in your life are difficult right now?
How has the Lord used a past difficult experience for a specific purpose now?
What pain do you need to give over to the Lord to repurpose?

Goals

Brainstorm a list of past experiences that were painful that God repurposed for good. Create a list to remember on hard days that you can reread! Create one note or several sticky notes.

“And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purposes.

(Romans 8:28 AMP)