the good and the bad

Today in the One Year Bible, we read about Miriam taking up a tambourine and praising God for saving them from the Egyptians.

And it reminds me of something I've learned lately. In the story of Job, he is sorely tempted and tried and his faith becomes evident. In a cry of resignation, he says, "The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." Which sounds like he's come to terms with his suffering, and knows that God is good regardless of the trials he has to face.

But. There is more to it than that. God doesn't just want us to say, "Well, God's good even when I have to suffer or lose something. So even though I don't like it, blessed is His name." That's a good and holy attitude, but there's a better attitude that we can have.

When you listen to The Story of a Soul by St Therese of Liseux, the Little Flower, you learn how valuable suffering is. That God uses suffering to make us into saints. And He ALSO uses our suffering to help redeem the universe. So when we suffer, we can "offer it up" and He'll take it and apply it to the redemption of all other people, and of the universe itself. Here is a verse that talks about this.

On the other hand, we of course should do as Miriam does in our reading for today, and praise God whenever something GOOD happens in our lives.

So you see, returning to the first concept of this blog, that we DO bless the name of God whether He's giving (and life is good and happy) or taking away (and we're suffering in some way.) When we are happy, we rejoice and praise Him. When we suffer, we offer it up for the redemption of the world. So whether things are good or bad, we use them for His glory, and He works them for our good.

God, thanks for teaching us to involve You in the good and the bad.