God Works All Things Together

"And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose."  Romans 8:28 Berean Study Bible
 
God works – these are two of the most important words for me to remember when I don’t understand what’s going on around me.
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Since COVID-19 shut down “normal”, I have been doing grocery shopping and delivery for people who cannot or should not venture out into public places. I love what I do, knowing that I am providing a helpful service to the people of my community.

There are those moments, however, when things don’t go as planned. Not as I planned, anyways.

This morning, I decided to confine my work to a specific community in order to save money on gas. This community is not one where I get a lot of work, and yet I had an unmistakable urge to focus my service there.

My second client only wanted a few things from a store that sells all premade food frozen in easy to use portions.

I had to substitute an item for this client but everything was approved and I was able to complete the purchase and began making my way to the client’s home to deliver their order.

I was part way there when they messaged me, questioning one of their items. They told me they didn’t want it. This had never happened before so I had to check on how to handle the situation.

I quickly got back to the client, assuring him that I will return the item and that he needn’t worry about it.

When an item needs to be returned, there is always the possibility that the store won’t take it back, so I was instructed to either dispose of it or donate it. I couldn’t bring myself to dispose of a perfectly good cake so I asked myself who I could donate it to.

Suddenly, one of my friends came to mind. She lived in the city I chose to focus on and she has a family of boys so I was sure a cake would go quickly!

I called her and asked her if I could drop something off, not telling her what it was. She invited me to come without hesitation.

When I arrived, I handed her the delicious cake and told her the story of how I came in possession of it.

Then we started to talk. It turned out that my dear friend was struggling due to the isolation that has been imposed upon her by this virus situation.

We stood and talked and I listened to her agony and frustration.

We ended the conversation with a plan go for walks together to tackle her isolation and my need for exercise.

God is SO good! Only God could have directed me to choose to work in a community where I don’t normally get enough work to have an acceptably profitable day.

But God knew what His plan was. He put a cake in my hands that needed a place to go and God knew which friend needed a visit today so He put her name in my mind and spurred me to call her.

It is so humbling and heartwarming to be used by God to encourage someone who needed encouragement.

When I see how God loves my friend, and today used me to show His love to her, I can see how much He loves me too. It is such a blessing to be part of this community that God has given me.

Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.

The Bible says that God works all things together for the good of those who loves Him. And God showed me again today what that looks like in simple, everyday moments.