“However, the Lord your God would not listen to Balaam but turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the Lord your God loves you.’”
Deuteronomy 23:5
How many times have you been saved by God’s extraordinary love where He turned a curse into a blessing?
Today’s chapter reminds me that we can never wander too far that God will not respond when we cry out to Him. Though circumstances are bleak and no light can be seen, often God is quietly moving “behind the scenes” on our behalf. No fanfare or ticker-tape parades announce a miracle is about to happen. We just know, in retrospect, that something was changed – beyond our limited control – from bad to good.
Yet many times, it’s in the “curse” that lessons are learned. During those times we are called to remain steadfast in God (even when He seems to be silent and still) and trust that the final outcome will be for our benefit. We may not see the blessing this side of heaven, but we must still trust in Him. (Romans 8:28)
So how do we do this? By realizing that suffering, sometimes, is part of God’s divine plan. I know this isn’t a popular biblical notion. But let us remember…Jesus, God’s ONLY son, suffered unspeakable cruelties so we might have eternal life. That’s our model – Jesus. And when we experience curses or sufferings – we are given the opportunity to become more like Him.
Kelly McGaha