The Best of Times, The Worst of Times

"When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, a man cannot discover anything about his future."
Ecclesiastes 7:14

The honesty of God's Word is troubling sometimes, isn't it? We love to encourage one another with the great truths of the Word. There is so much written that gives us eternal hope, so many blessings spoken over us. But there are some things written that speak the real, untainted truth. This is one of those scriptures. It reminds us that no matter which condition we find ourselves in, it is the same God who is responsible.
    Good times and bad times are temporary, God is eternal. We are so focused on the times, that we sometimes lose track of the Author of those times. Personally, I have gone through a very difficult time for over two years. But I made a decision that the times were not going to destroy my future. I decided to seek God with my whole being. Consequently, my life has been changed for eternity. I was a Christian before. I had been in ministry for many years. But God still changed me in dramatic ways. I would not trade my 'bad time' for anything. God used it to change my life and give me a blessed future.
    If we could manipulate the best of times and the worst of times, we would, obviously, avoid the bad ones. Think for a moment what life would be like if we never faced difficult things. It seems to me, we would all end up like spoiled children who live their whole lives in want for nothing. We would be self-absorbed, annoying people. Thankfully, we do not get to make these decisions, God does. He knows our lives from beginning to end and he has already set the plans. What we call our future or destiny, has already been established by God.
    Still, we can take great encouragement from this scripture. God knows our future, and he is in control of our present situation. If you are in good times now, be happy. If you are in bad times, keep your faith in God, look to him for strength, and never lose hope. There is a time coming when everything we are facing now, will be worth it all. When all else seems to fail, "Christ in you, (is) the hope of glory." Live in the assurance that God has made the best of times and the worst of times.