"He's got it all in his hands"

One verse in the bible that the majority of believers know is Romans 8:28. Perhaps not perfectly, but at least the main idea that God is at work in every part of life to turn it into something good. It makes us feel that all those times in life when things were not going right that God was still here and would make it all turn out to be something good. The older translations said that “all things work together for good” and we wondered how that could be. How could double pneumonia produce something good or the loss of a child? Now we know that Paul never said that “all things” would sort of cooperate in order to bring about a favorable conclusion. Inanimate objects don’t plan favorable outcomes. It is God who takes all things and weaves them together for good. In the process he uses every kind of “thing.” 
         A similar image is the potter who makes from his clay anything he wants. That is his prerogative because the clay doesn’t have any part in its own design. That’s up to the potter. And, as the pot is being turned, should one side collapse, the potter can smash the clay into a hump and turn it into something more usable or beautiful. In the same way, God chooses to make something of value out of our lives and should the process collapse he simple uses the experience to make an even better person.
         It is interesting that in life it often seems to be misfortune that turns out to be the most helpful in the long run. The divorce was a mess – wasted time, hurt feelings, remorse, and damaged reputation. Yet God can take that mistake and use it to teach the importance of personal integrity, the nature of mature love, the absolute necessity of putting the other first. Combined with other unpleasant experiences, God the potter can shape an objet d‘art from a difficult past.
         But God doesn’t work indiscriminately with all people. It is “those who love him, those who are called according to his purpose” that benefit from his hands-on loving care. So, if you are currently going through a difficult trial, remember that it is one of those “all things” that God can take and create new beauty in your life. Allowing God complete access and believing that he is a willing and able craftsman is our role in spiritual renewal. Stand back and watch the master of renewal’use the problems of life for something of unexpected beauty.