A Prayer to Remember God Makes Everything Beautiful
By Victoria Riollano
"Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time." Ecclesiastes 3:11
Everything is beautiful in its time.
I can remember a time when a verse like this would cause much frustration. I would read this verse in a time of despair and think, “Lord, how could you make this beautiful?” How could a moment of loss, tragedy, or abandonment ever be seen in a positive light? This was especially true a few years ago.
In 2017, it felt like everything was falling apart. My father-in-law had passed away, my church friends had all become foes, and my husband was battling chronic illness. During all this, I was pregnant. Although that was a joyous occasion, birthing something new amidst a sea of pain was not an enjoyable experience. Yet, I could not help but remind myself, “One day, the Lord will make this beautiful.” One day, the Lord would show His glory through it all.
I believe this feeling was also shared by the lame man in John 5. Though this man remains nameless, the Bible says he’d been in a paralyzed condition for 38 years. In the passage in John 5:1-5, we see a man who was desperate to be healed to no avail. It is believed that the very place he laid at the Sheep Gate pool would be where angels would come at certain times, stir up the waters, and bring healing. All that was required was to be the first in the water. So, for many years the man was strategically placed to be set free from his condition. Unfortunately, time and time again, he was overlooked, stepped over, and was never able to be the first in the pool. In just reading the words found in John, we can feel the agony and frustration he must have felt. I am certain, he would wrestle with the phrase, “He makes everything beautiful.” Sometimes disappointment can make us doubt God’s great plan!
I am so happy that the story doesn’t end here.
When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”
The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.”
Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” 9 And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. John 5:6-9
In an instant, with a single sentence, Jesus changed the trajectory of his life. He went from one who was in desperate need to one who was fully healed! His life has become a testimony for the many who had ignored him and tossed him aside for their own gain. God truly made it all beautiful in His time. He was a living, breathing, walking testimony of God’s goodness!
Today, I want to encourage you with the words we find in Ecclesiastes 3:11, “He makes all things beautiful.” You may feel disappointed or discouraged now. You may not understand why things have unfolded the way they have in your life.
Yet, here’s what we know to be true, we serve a God who loves His children. He sees all and He knows all. He is all-powerful and He has not forgotten you.
In 2017, I experienced this as the Lord brought complete healing to my husband, rectified our ministry woes, and allowed us to birth a beautiful baby girl named Heavenly Joy. And for the man we find in John 5, we see that his thirty-eight years of pain have turned into a testimony that over 2,000 years later we can still rejoice about. God truly does turn things around. Let us not grow weary in the wait.
Let's pray:
Father,
I thank you for your limitless wisdom. I thank you for writing my story. Although I may not always understand why things are happening, you do. You go before me and keep me even in my darkest hours. I thank you for using my moments of sadness as a starting point for a miracle to take place. Help me to embrace your process for me. Thank you, Lord, that you make all broken things new and beautiful.
In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Photo credit: ©SalemDesign
Victoria Riollano is a mother of eight, veteran spouse, Psychology professor, and doctoral student, Victoria has learned the art of balancing family and accomplishing God’s ultimate purpose for her life. Victoria holds an MA in Child Psychology and is the author of two books- The Victory Walk: A 21-Day Devotional on Living a Victorious Life and Warrior Mother: Equipping Your Heart to Fight for Your Family’s Faith. When she is not writing, you can find her serving in her local church as the pastor’s wife, worship leader, and youth pastor. Ultimately, she desires to empower women to live a life of victory, hope, and love. You can connect with Victoria at www.victoryspeaks.org and on social media at Victory Speaks by Victoria Riollano on Facebook and @myvictoryspeaks on Instagram.
Editor's Note: We're proud to announce we've just launched a new nighttime companion to Your Daily Prayer: the Your Nightly Prayer devotional. You'll soon be able to subscribe to receive Your Nightly Prayer via email, or as a podcast, but for now you can find it on the website at crosswalk.com/devotionals/your-nightly-prayer. We hope it's a relaxing and soothing way to wind down your day with rich meditations on who God is.
Related Resource: Jesus Calling - Stories of Faith
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Inspired by Sarah Young's classic devotional book, the Jesus Calling podcast has brought encouragement and peace to millions. New episodes drop every Thursday! Listen today on LifeAudio.com or wherever you find your podcasts.
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