We enjoyed a great Thanksgiving Day with our family in Macon. During the afternoon, my nephew brought over his adorable two German Shepherds for a visit. They were a joy for all of us. All of us until, my wife began having an asthmatic like allergic reaction to the dogs. Within an hour, she was almost completely unable to breathe and decided to go outside instead. Since it was very windy and quite chilly, she decided to sit in our van to escape the elements. She took some Benadryl® and soon her symptoms began to subside somewhat.

We were disappointed that this extremely unfortunate freak incident had cut our visit short. I soon realized that what seemed to be a big downer for the day might have actually averted even greater disaster for us on the ride home. After checking on her I noticed that our right front tire had what appeared to be a small slit in the sidewall. Closer inspection revealed that the tire was beginning to separate. Chances are the stress caused by an hour and half ride in the interstate highway would have caused the tire to blow and we would have been stranded by the road…or worse. We borrowed my mother’s car and headed home more safely.

We are home, Andrea is feeling much better, and on Saturday I will return to Macon to buy a new tire for the van. The lesson in this, however, is a reminder that we need not be too quick to pronounce our circumstances “bad.” God may be using something that at the time seems bad to reveal His glory and accomplish His purpose. God works ALL THINGS – good, bad, indifferent – for His good and uses them to conform us to the image of Jesus.

Whether something aggravating like an allergic reaction or something as devastating as an unwanted and unexpected change in ministry direction, God has my life – and yours – completely under control. You see, it’s not about me but HIM. It’s not my plan, but HIS plan. It’s not my stage, but HIS stage.

So if you are in what seems to be a hardship, take heart. God is preparing and positioning you to become a revelation of His glory.