I Made a Mess: He was Blessed

"For we know that God always works for the good of those that love him." 
Romans 8:28

Spencer got a Nintendo DS and game for Christmas. He lost the game and couldn't find it anywhere. I spent a big part of the day yesterday helping him clean up his room and Isaiah's room to see if we could find it. 

We looked in the couch, under the couch, behind the freezer, in drawers, in the car. Every. where. 

Isaiah looked. David looked. We had all looked. And we had all pretty much decided it was gone for good. 

He was so sad that we weren't able to find it. 

This morning, I was cleaning the house and noticed my utility sink looked dingy. I decided to fill it with hot water. I would then add bleach and let it soak. After all, bleach cures a multitude of stains. 

I walked away letting the hot water fill the sink. I planned to return in a couple of minutes. But I got distracted packing for an upcoming trip. I was in my own little world, when I heard yelling. 

"JEN!! Bring some towels!!" Uh oh. It hit me what I had done. I jerked several towels from underneath our bathroom sink and ran to the utility room. Water was everywhere. Towels were everywhere. All four of us were working to clean up my mess. 

David moved the dryer and the freezer so we could dry the water from behind it. I was on all fours mopping up as much water as I could (and cleaning the baseboards while I was down there) when I noticed the back of a DS game inside a little vent in the back and at the bottom of the freezer. 

I couldn't believe my eyes. Could this be it? Is this like an oasis in the desert, and I'm imagining things? 

I reached in the small space, filled with hope, and flipped it over. To my amazement, it was the missing game! Fortunately, it was safe from the water because of where it had fallen. I have no idea how it could have even fallen in that little space. 

Spencer was so very excited as I shared the news with him. He was literally jumping for joy. 

I remembered the verse we talked about in our small group the week before, and about the same verse we had shared with our boys a few nights ago, "He makes all things work together for the good of those that love the Lord and are called to His purpose." 

I recited the verse to Spencer, explaining how this was a real life example of God taking a mess and working it out for the good of those who love Him. 

Spencer said, "Thank you, Lord!" 

We were all suddenly smiling while we cleaned up the water, because out of a simple mess came a simple answer to a little boy's prayer to find his video game. I could sense a growth in his faith. 

I can't imagine all the complexities God deals with on a regular basis. I call them complexities because they are complex to us, but to Him, it's just another day being God. 

Sometimes we have to remember that it's not all about us and things working out for us. Sometimes, something that doesn't seem good for us ends up blessing someone else--like in the case of me making a big mess, but Spencer being blessed in the process. 

Granted, God wants to bless all of us, but all our stories are interwoven. Sometimes it's not my time. But it is someone else's.

God knows I would clean up a thousand messes in order for my son to see Jesus at work in our lives. 

We can't control every part of life like we want. That leaves us to simply loving and trusting God every day, so that He can continue to work it all out in His time and for our good--even if we don't always see it. His plan is grander. His thoughts are higher. His love is deeper than any love we can imagine. 

The next time life throws you to your knees cleaning up a mess, remember, "He makes all things work together for my good because I love Him." Not every now and then. Not sometimes. Not just here and there. But every time. 

Dear Lord, thank you for being in control when I am not. Thank you for cleaning up my messes and loving me through the hard times. Thank you for making all things work together for my good. Help me to see you in every day life. Help me to focus on my blessings, and help me to be a blessing to others. Help me to realize that the stories of others are connected to mine in a way that I can't always understand, but you know. And you've got me in the palm of your hand. In Jesus' name. Amen.